Yu Narukami's Adventures in Inaba
by Weaver the 8th
Summary: Yu Narukami keeps his true feelings locked away from others as he strives to find the best way to interact with others. In his life in Inaba, Yu will have to fight with both the shadows of others and his own shadow which he must keep in check with the power of the Wild Card and the power of the bonds that he comes to forge.
1. Dizzy Spell

_Ryotaro Dojima, Birth May 16th, 1969 (Uncle)_

_Last time I saw him was at his wife's funeral. Currently he is single, his wife Chisato died in a hit and run. According to mom he is a workaholic, and can be rather serious. Be certain to tread lightly when dealing with him. Test boundaries of conversation and acceptable behaviors._

The rest of the page was blank, save for a little ink blot that formed at the side where Yu Narukami was tapping his pen. Tongue in cheek he read over the short little bit of trivia, pen seeming impatient to act on the page. Shaking his head he turned to the next page.

_Nanako Dojima, Birth October 4th 2004 (Cousin)_

_Don't really remember much about her. Last saw her at her mother's funereal. Can't say I have much information to go on for her. When mom spoke about her she always would say things like "Poor child," or "I wish Ryo would act more supportive of her." Implications suggest that she will be a shy girl, perhaps a bit depressed? Can't be certain since I only have hearsay to go on. _

Sighing Yu turned his head towards the train window and watched as the grassy scenery flew on by him. Raising up his pen free hand Yu grabbed at something under his shirt. Spilling out from his shirt was a silver chain with a brass key dangling at the end of it. Rolling his eyes Yu jotted something else down on Nanako's page.

_Like with Dojima, should tread carefully around her._

Shutting the burgundy journal revealed a metal latch which he clicked into place. Taking off the key he swiftly stuck it in the lock and sealed his book from prying eyes. He shoved the journal into a hand bag he had at his side, than gently placed the key back under his shirt. Leaning back into his chair Yu looked at all the people that surrounded him. Their face seeming to mix into an unintelligible blur. 'When am I going to get there again?' Leaning towards the window he shut his eyes as the hypnotic sound of the trains locomotion aided Yu in his attempt at sleep.

As sleep began to take him there was a sudden flash of images that blurred before his eyes. In that instant Yu saw the color blue all over the place. Jumbled voices ran through his mind becoming nothing but an annoying buzz. The only thing that he was able to grasp was the word wild card. Not much for him to go on. Holding his head Yu looked around the train and saw no one was paying attention. Looking down to his lap he began to massage his temples. "What was that?" Looking back at the people that surrounded him they seemed to have become even more distant from him. Frowning he looked into his bag and took out another journal, this one being navy blue. Taking off his key he unlocked it to reveal jotted down on the first page a date from the year before with some personal meanderings. Flipping to a blank page he wrote the current date down than some thoughts.

_Had a weird dizzy spell at about noon today. Not sure what the deal is, but I saw blue all over the place. Hoping its a one time thing and nothing serious. Don't want to worry Dojima-San on the first day here._

Thinking for a few more seconds he scoffed and shook his head. "Why not..."

_Wild Card, remember that I guess... it may be important._

Locking the book Yu went back to resting by the window, but kept his eyes open the rest of the way to his destination. Once the announcer called for all to get off at Inaba station Yu took a breath and calmly took his bags off from the overhanging compartment. Once he got off he looked back at all the people inside as they sped away, physically blurring before his eyes. Once the train was gone he looked over at the exit to the station and made off for it at a leisurely clip. Passing the exit at the same time as him was a girl that looked his age. Yu kept looking ahead, avoiding making a connection with her. As he sped up his walking he felt someone tap his shoulder.

Checking over his shoulder he saw the dark haired girl heaving a piece of paper into his face. "You dropped this." she averted her gaze and was looking back at the station. Yu was silent for a moment as the paper lingered in the air. They both remained still for a few seconds, but the girl glared over at him and started shaking the paper.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Yu took it and saw it was his notes on his mother's number, as well as his father's, Dojima's, and anyone else he may need to contact. "This is pretty important, I am very grateful that you stopped me." Yu bowed respectfully as he put the paper back into his hand bag.

"Yeah, well... its just paper." She looked past Yu as if she was trying to see something off in the distance. "Um... bye..." she than quickly walked past two figures that were quickly approaching.

" Flirting?" smirked a tall gruff looking man. Behind him stood a six year old girl who was eyeballing Yu carefully.

"No, she was just returning something I dropped."

"Yu I am guessing?" the man began to scratch his stubble. "Let's see... I'm your sisters younger brother, that is about all you need to know."

'What I want to say. Most people would just say uncle. What I have rehearsed.' With no sign of embarrassment Yu quickly responded with a bow. "Good afternoon Dojima-San."

"No need to be so formal, I've changed your diapers you know." Looking up Yu saw Dojima was smiling naturally at him.

'Did... did he just say that? Mom put him up to this didn't she. I am going to be asking her about that...'

Dojima looked at Yu who was staring off absentmindedly, his smile shrinking a bit "Well, Yui wasn't lying about you."

"Wait, what?" Yu snapped back to reality. "What did she say?"

""That's between me and her." Dojima gave Yu a wink and nudged the little girl from his side. "Come on Nanako, say hi to your cousin."

She awkwardly stood between Dojima and Yu, her feet pointed together and her eyes cast down. "... 'llo..." She quickly ran behind her dad and grabbed his pant legs.

"Aw, come on Nanako." Dojima laughed as he looked down at her. "Sorry about that, she's pretty shy around strangers." Right as he said that Nanako gave an indignant grunt and smacked his leg. "Ow, ha ha..."

Yu sighed and held tightly to his bag. "It is nice to meet you Nanako-chan, I am Yu Narukami. I hope I will not get in your way once I move in with you and your father. I will do my best to be a proper guest." Yu than gave Nanako a bow.

Nanako watched curiously, but remained behind her father.

Dojima clapped his hands and got both Yu's and Nanako's attention."Well, enough introductions. Let's get going." As the three headed off to a car that was parked nearby Dojima snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah, hope you don't mind but I'm going to make a quick stop by the gas station."

"No trouble at all." Yu neatly packed his bags and and sat in the back letting Nanako sit up front with her father. On the drive to the gas station Nanako kept looking back at Yu, but whenever she saw he had noticed her she would look back. 'She's awfully sweet, but I wonder if she's always so quiet. Maybe its just cause I'm a stranger like Dojima-San said...'

"What's that?" came a soft voice.

"Huh?" Yu shook his head as he returned to the outside world. "What's what?"

With a small hand Nanako pointed at the key that had fallen out from Yu's shirt after all his bowing. "Oh, this is a special key to my thoughts."

"Thoughts?" Nanako gave a puzzled look. "How does that work?"

"Well... I keep a few journals and I use this to both lock them and open them. So, no one but me can look at them. They contain all me deep personal thoughts." Yu smiled as Nanako began to nod in understanding. "Do you have anything like that?"

"No, I never thought about doing that before." Nanako looked at her father. "Did you ever have a journal dad?"

"Well, no. But I remember my sister kept one, your mom Yu. I got into some trouble when I broke into it." Dojima laughed at this, and didn't notice Yu's hand cover his key.

"Oh..."Nanako uncertainly looked down at Yu's feet. "Would you read my journal if I got one dad?"

"Of course not, I've matured enough to know that kind of thing should normally stay private."

"Normally?" the word slipped out of Yu's mouth unconsciously.

"Well, yeah. If its important I shouldn't have to leave something incriminating like that alone just to be polite." Dojima looked back at Yu who flushed. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna sneak a peak in your journal."

Yu nodded and looked down to his feet. "Okay..."

As the car pulled over everyone got out. "Okay any of you need to use the bathroom?" Dojima asked as he opened up his wallet.

"I do." Nanako quickly raised her and ran off.

Yu leaned up against the car and looked off at the other side of the road. 'I know he said he wouldn't look into it, but I should probably keep the key with me at all times. The journals can go under my futon... wait... its that girl from the train station.' right across the street Yu could see her looking down the road as if she was trying to find something. 'Wonder what she's up to...'

"Hey." said a cheery voice that startled Yu.

"Oh! Uh, hey."next to him was an androgynous gas station attendant smiling at him. "You... need something?"

"Just wanted to greet the city boy." the attendant grabbed Yu's hand and gave it a hearty shake. "Not much to do out here, you'll either be hanging out with your friends or finding part-time work. Hey! We're offering some work up here if your interested. We don't care if you're a student."

"I'll think about it." Yu took his hand back and shoved it under his arm.

"Sure, sure... well see ya." the attendant gave him a wave and was off to fill the car's tank.

'Whack-job...' Yu rolled his eyes, than went back to looking at the girl from across the street. Her gaze struck and froze Yu where he stood. A strange tingling began to run through his brain. Grabbing his head Yu began to teeter about. "What... is this?" Opening his eyes Yu saw the girl was back to looking down the street, and the tingling began to subside.

"You okay?" Nanako had come up and was rubbing her damp hands on the sides of her dress.

"I... just got a dizzy spell. Nothing to worry about..." Yu held his head and shivered. "Sheesh..."

"What's the matter?" Dojima came up next, a lit cigarette in his mouth.

"He said he got dizzy." Nanako quickly stated.

"It's nothing. I'm already feeling better." Yu smiled and dismissively waved off any worries that were lobbied at him.

"Hm... maybe its just all this sitting around... why don't you walk around for a bit."

'That sounded more like an order than a suggestion...' Yu nodded "Okay, that sounds good." Yu looked across the street and saw the girl was walking away. "I'll be back in a few minutes..."

"Don't take too long now Yu." Dojima took a puff from his cigarette and began to pace about the car. Nanako just leaned on the car like Yu had and watched as Yu crossed the street.

While on the other side of the street Yu casually walked in the same direction as the girl from the train station. She suddenly stopped right across from some metal working shop and stared at it with a strangely focused glare. Yu stopped for a moment and looked off at whatever it was she was looking at. He didn't see anything. There wasn't any person there, not even a sign saying "Limited time only, buy now!" Walking up closer to her Yu looked again and still saw nothing.

"What are you looking at?" Yu looked over at her to see she was giving him a death glare. "I'm sorry?"

"What do you want?"

"I... wanted to ask you something."

"I can save you the trouble. I don't have an answer for you." She than went on to ignoring him.

Yu grimaced and began to inch away. "I... sorry for wasting your time." no response. Yu sighed and headed back to Dojima and Nanako. "Ready to get going." Yu said sullenly as he opened the car door.

"Rejected?" Dojima looked knowingly at Yu who gave him a shrug. "Been there. Don't worry about it." Dojima patted Yu's shoulder and went into the car.

"What were you and that girl talking about?" Nanako asked after everyone was seated.

"Nanako, don't." Dojima looked over at Nanako with a serious look.

"It's all right Dojima-San... it wasn't anything like you might think. I was just curious about her."

"That all?" Dojima sounded surprised.

"Yeah, that's all."

The car than drove off, leaving the gas station behind as just a memory for the time being. While rolling down the road Yu watched as they passed the strange girl from the train station. She had begun to cross the street over to the metal shop, or at least that was what it looked like. She walked over to the ally near it and after Yu blinked she disappeared. 'What are you up to?' Yu looked away and looked straight ahead. Taking out his navy journal he took his key off and unlatched the lock. 'Gotta write this down.'


	2. A Phone Call and a Meal

″Diapers? He actually brought that up?″

″So you're saying you had nothing to do with that?″ Yu covered his eyes with his arm and sighed. ″He's not gonna talk more about when I was little is he?″

″Honestly, I have no clue. When we talked he never seemed to care to bring that stuff up. Maybe it was a one time thing.″

″Maybe.″ Yu looked over at his door and saw Nanako looking in at him. ″One second mom.″ walking over to the door Yu got down on his knees and smiled. ″What is it Nanako? Did you need something?″ Looking down Nanako shook her head. In an instant little Nanako ran off leaving Yu alone again with his mother. Sighing he went back to talking on the phone. ″Any other information you can give me on Nanako could be useful. She seems pretty shy around me, but she also seems a little interested.″

″Well... lets see... nope. Nothing.″ there was a fit of laughter that followed.

Yu's face darkened as the laughter continued ″Mom, please stop that. It gets annoying.″

"Sorry dear.″ the remains of laughter seemed to trickle from her tone. ″Sorry, sorry, ahem.″ She than cleared her throat before continuing. ″ Okay, seriously now. Yu, I think you're probably gonna just have to do some good old fashioned field work. I haven't really stayed all that up to date with Ryo, let alone Nanako. I really wish I could help out, but I honestly know next to nothing about her.″

″Well that's okay, shouldn't be too difficult with her. We are family after all. Not like I'm some freak from space with googly eyes or anything.″

″Not the space and googly eye part anyway.″ sang Yu's mother.

Yu sat down on his futon and chuckled. ″Amusing. You know if I am a freak I had to get it from somewhere.″

″Yeah, and you know you do have a father too young man. Don't go calling your mom a freak.″

″I said nothing of the sort.″ Yu turned his nose up and sniffed. ″Really miss Narukami, you shouldn't go around reading something into nothing.″

″All right smart ass,″ Yu's mother said suppressing a laugh. ″any knew entries?″

″Yep,″ Yu lifted up the edge of his futon and took out his navy journal. ″glad you asked. I met this weird girl at the train station than a little later by the shopping district.″

″You didn't call her weird to her face did you?″

Yu blushed as he took out his key. ″M-mom, please! That was only one time.″

″Just joking Yu, don't need to get so uppity.″

″Right. Sorry.″ Yu took a breath and turned to his latest entry. ″She was dressed real weird too. Sleeveless white dress shirt... black and red gloves that went over her elbow...″

″Yu, Yu, sweety. Get to the meat! I don't want to hear a fashion critique.″

Yu smacked his head and laughed weakly. ″Sorry, right. Got distracted. Anyway. We first met when she gave me some paper I dropped. Nothing weird yet. It wasn't till after the gas station attendant... come to think of it... that guy was freaky too.″ Yu began to let his mind wander back to that strange exchange with the gas station attendant.

″Yu, you still there? Yu?″

″Hm? Sorry. She was just staring off at something, don't know what but she seemed really intent on it. I followed her as she walked away and than she just started to stare at some metal shop. Boy she seemed focused. There was no one but me on the street, it was really weird.″

″Not as weird as the freak that started stalking a girl I'm guessing.″

″Oh God! Stalking? I was stalking?″ Yu smacked his head and fell onto his back. ″No wonder she looked so mad when I talked to her. She must think I'm some kinda freak.″

″Think's got nothing to do with it Yu.″

″Always so supportive aren't you mother.″ Yu dryly spoke. Rolling off his futon he hit his dresser and gave a yelp of pain. ″That hurt...″

″Sounds like everything is going fine anyway...″ A car horn suddenly blared in the background. ″Sorry Yu, gotta go. Don't want to miss our flight.″

″Send dad my love. Have fun in Europe.″ Yu massaged his forehead as he sat himself up.

″I will, and we'll try to have some fun. It's a sabbatical, so I don't know. Love you!″ with that the phone clicked and Yu was alone in silence. Sighing he rolled back onto his futon and let the phone slide to the ground with a soft thud. Grabbing his legs he shut his eyes and remained there till a knock came at his door.

″Dinner.″ Nanako peeped in and saw Yu look over his shoulder as he remained curled up. ″Are you okay?″

″Yeah, its nothing.″ Yu uncurled and stood up.

″Okay...″ Nanako shut the door and with the sound of little feet was off back to the downstairs.

Down in the living room all three residents were poised and ready for the meal; the TV blared in the background. Yu quietly looked down at his supper and than turned towards a soda bottle that sat nearby. Lifting his head up Yu saw the other two were all as quiet as he was at the moment. Dojima however was the first to end the silence.

"Here, a toast." raising up his own soda bottle he turned to Yu and gave him an encouraging grin. "That our year together will go well."

Yu smiled and picked up his soda. "That and that we all grow closer as a family." Yu brought his soda up to Dojima's and clinked it together with his.

Dojima gave a quick laugh but silenced it, "Uh, right. That too." He looked down at Nanako and nudged her with his foot. "Come on Nanako, don't leave us hanging over here."

Nanako gave an annoyed grunt and just opened up her soda.

Dojima looked over at Yu who just smiled and shrugged. Dojima sighed and shook his head, "Anyway," he lowered his soda and opened it up with a fizz. "how you feeling right now?"

"About living here? A little uncertain to be honest. I haven't really ever stayed in Inaba, or anywhere else for that matter, besides with mom and dad." Yu opened his soda and took a sip of the bubbly beverage.

"Must be tough," Dojima absentmindedly said. "I know its business, but to be left behind in a boring place like this? Must really eat at you." Dojima shook his head, a look of discomfort surfacing in his eyes.

Yu quickly took note of this and laughed. "Oh, its nothing to worry about Dojima-San. I'll get used to this place soon enough. I'll be forming myself a routine before you know it."

Dojima looked over at Yu solemnly. "If you say so." he took a gulp from his drink and looked over at the TV which was currently reporting on some traffic accidents. "In any case, its just me and Nanako here. It'll be nice to have someone else to hang around the house. Remember Yu, as long as your here you are one of the family."

Yu looked at Dojima's solemn face and felt a touch of depression enter his mind. "Thank you, so much. You are very kind to let me stay here Dojima-San." Yu bowed his head, his tone low and respectful . "Really, thank you."

Dojim tilted his head towards Yu and laughed. "Again? Why are you acting so formal? Loosen up, being with family means you can relax. Look, your making Nanako all tense."

Hearing her name Nanako quickly looked over at her father. "Huh? What is it?" Dojima and Yu stared over at the surprised Nanako than began to laugh. "What? What is it?" she pouted and grabbed the remote. "Whatever..."

"Hey, hey! No changing the channel." Dojima quickly spat out.

Nanako's hand gently placed the remote down and returned her arm to her side. With a sigh she hunched over and began eating her food. "But the news is so boring..."

As Dojima shook his head a ringing began to sound from his pocket. "Shit..." Dojima rolled his eyes. Pulling out his phone he walked away from the table. "Dojima speaking." Yu's gaze moved away from Dojima over to Nanako who was watching her father her hands balled into little fists. Looking back to Dojima he saw him groan and close the phone. "Made the right choice to skip the booze..." Looking over at Nanako he shrugged. "Sorry, I've got some work to do. You mind taking care of your cousin while I head out?"

Nanako looked down at the table, and uttered a disheartened. "... Okay."

Dojima walked by Yu and patted his shoulder. "Sorry I have to go, we'll talk some more later."

After Dojima had left the house grew quiet, save for the TV. "Taro Namatame is under fire for an alleged relationship with a female reporter, Mayumi Yamano. His wife enka ballade sensation Misuzu Hiiragi revealed that she will likely peruse charges."

"Must be tough..." Yu looked over at Nanako who had taken on a stony expression. "Is there anything I could do to help?"

"No, I'm okay." Nanako said in a tense voice.

Yu looked down to his food and sighed. "You can change the channel if you want. Nothing really important on right now."

Nanako nodded and tapped the remote. A cheery sounding woman suddenly filled the room"At Junes everyday is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products."

'Gag me. She's sounds so fake.' Yu rolled his eyes, but as he did he noticed an odd spark come over Nanako's eyes.

"Every day's great at your Junes!" sang the sickeningly cheery woman.

"Man that is just..."

"Every day's great at your Junes!" Nanako sang following after the cheery woman, a huge smile was on her face. All signs of her stress seemed to have faded away.

Yu stared at her, his mouth wide open. 'She... she liked that junk? But... its such a generic commercial. What about it could she possibly like?'

Nanako looked over at Yu with her face more neutral again. "Aren't you gonna finish your food?"

Yu looked down and blushed. 'Must avoid talking about that for the time being.' he quickly began to shovel the food into his mouth as Nanako went back to watching the TV. 'This is definitely being put into her entry.'


	3. The Fog World

Sleeping peacefully, Yu laid on his back one hand under his pillow while another held tightly to his chest. The digital clock loomed over Yu's unconscious form, waiting to snap him to attention when its allotted time would finally come. Everything in the room was still; not even the curtains ruffled as the wind outside blew on the windows. The clock shifted its numbers and the time was midnight. That was when the television set, that Dojima had left for Yu's personal use, began to crackle. A faint white noise began to appear upon the television along with a human shaped shadow.

Reaching forward with its hand the shadow pressed against the screen and slipped right through. A fog began to billow through the room as the hand became five serpentine tentacles. Gently they laid upon the floor and slithered towards Yu. As the fog filled the room it became humid and warm. Growing uncomfortable Yu began to open his eyes but shut them again as he began to breath in the fog more deeply.

With gentle care the tentacles wrapped around Yu's limbs and torso, all the while tightly contracting around his body. Slowly he was raised from his futon, arms and legs tightly brought to his sides. His eyes began to flutter open again, but Yu refrained from feeling anything beyond mild confusion. Head lolling back Yu saw he was being drawn towards the television. At first he gave a weak laugh, but panic began to well up in himself when the fog's power seemed to wane on him.

Bolting his head up he looked down to see his body wrapped up in shadow tentacles. With a deep breath he was prepared to let out a scream, but the tentacle that wrapped around his right arm lunged at his face and everything faded into blackness. When Yu awoke he found he was all alone. A heavy fog surrounded him obscuring everything from view. The world swam about him as he stood up. Holding his head he began to topple back to the ground. Dazed and confused Yu began to crawl about the ground reaching out for anything that could aid him in recapturing his balance.

'Do you seek the truth?' the sudden voice in Yu's head made him freeze. Grabbing his head he looked around the sea of fog and saw nothing in it but amorphous shadows.

"Was... that me?" Yu began to find some of the fog blow away to reveal a long red and black path.

'If it is truth you desire, come and find me...'

"That's... my voice, isn't it?" Yu lowered his hands and began to walk down the road. He stopped after the first few steps. Turning his head back he saw nothing but the maddening fog blocking his view. "What is this place?" Looking forward again Yu saw the path become encroached upon by the fog that wished to reclaim it. Quickening his pace he began to run forward till he entered an area that was a little more free of the fog. Slowing to a walk again he kept moving forward.

It wasn't until he reached a square wall that Yu stopped his movement. With no other way to go Yu looked back at the path behind him to see it was taken back into the fog. He only had a little patch of somewhat clear air left, and it was quickly becoming enveloped. 'I am just ahead...' the voice echoed and the wall began to move. As the wall spun about a passageway became apparent to Yu. With a blinding light coming forth from it Yu shielded his eyes and moved forward.

The light died down and Yu unshielded his eyes to see himself again in the fog. Besides the fog however Yu found himself surrounded by legions of writhing shadows. Barely any of them looked human. "The truth that resides in you has long been locked away by the binds of your heart, by the society that you exist in... so many things bind you." a powerful woman's voice began to resound through the fog, all the shadows began to quiver and distance themselves from Yu. Save for one humanoid shadow that appeared in front of him.

It stretched out its arms and Yu couldn't help but bow towards it. "You have followed the truth that you have hidden in yourself. By your hands the destiny of mankind will be decided. I love man so dearly... please help me see what it is that your race seeks." The shadows drew closer as the shadow woman knelt down. "From the depths you have locked it. May your true self be awoken!"

Yu than felt a tingling in his body. Teetering down to his knees Yu began to see his body radiate a darkness. "What... are you doing to me?" The darkness than began to flow away from Yu and consolidate into a mirror image of him. It however was covered in a dark aura that obscured it slightly. Backing away Yu suddenly felt something gently grab his arms. Looking behind himself he saw a short shadow.

Looking back towards his dark image, Yu watched as a smile crept upon its face. Before Yu could even blink, the doppelganger rushed at Yu and shoved its hands into his chest. With a shriek of pain Yu struggled to break from both the doppelganger in front of him and the shadow behind him. "Stop it!" Yu managed to easily slip one arm away and grabbed the doppelganger by one arm. The dark aura that surrounded the doppelganger faded away at Yu's touch, revealing two glowing yellow eyes. "What... what are you?"

"The truth that you have been hiding yourself from." came Yu's own voice. Smiling the doppelganger removed its remaining hand from Yu's chest and grabbed at his head. "Now let me go so we can finish this."

"No!" Yu struggled more and freed his other arm, knocking over the short shadow in the process. With his newly freed arm Yu punched the doppelganger in the face making it topple to the ground. "So you think you can just shove your hands into people whenever you want?!" Yu than tried to move towards the doppelganger but he was grabbed by tentacles. "What the..." following where the tentacles were coming from Yu saw that they came from the hands of the shadow woman. "Why are you doing this to me?!"

"To bring to mankind peace." she further tightened her grip on Yu.

The doppelganger began to pull itself back up, and with an angered glare it began to walk back up to Yu. "What is that thing? Why does it look like me?" Yu tried to struggle free, but the shadow woman's grip was far tighter than the short shadow's.

"I am you. I am the shadow you tried to hide from everyone, even yourself."with a swift jerk the doppelganger grabbed Yu's throat and shoved one hand back into his chest.

"You're not me." Yu spat out as the grip turned into a skin crawling sensation. The doppelganger's hand had just entered into Yu's throat.

"I am you. I am the real you!"

When Yu tried to let out a scream a flash of blue light suddenly filled the air. Everything froze, the doppelganger, the shadow woman, even the short shadow. Looking down at the short shadow Yu noticed it was hanging onto one of the tentacles. "Um... what the hell?" Looking back to his front he saw the doppelganger still had its hand in his throat. "How am I talking right now?" The blue light flashed again and Yu felt something crawling all over his face. Then it changed into the feeling that his skin was peeling off. When it subsided Yu saw a blue mask hovering out in front of his face. "I... am dreaming right? This, doesn't make any sort of sense."

The mask floated down towards the doppelganger and covered its face. A flash of blue light and the events that were occurring before the first flash began again. The doppelganger, with the mask on its face, looked up at Yu as if it had been drained of all emotion. The mask began to glow blue and after another flash the doppelganger had become a card.

"How curious?" The shadow woman let her tentacles release Yu and they returned to her as fingers.

Looking over at the curious shadow woman Yu just shook his head. "Don't ask me." Slowly the card faded into Yu's chest leaving nothing but a slight tingling in him. Grabbing at his chest Yu felt around it, only to feel his key. "I think... I am going insane."

The shadow woman looked to the shadows that surrounded her and Yu and raised her arms. "The truth has been awoken in him, but I do not know if it has properly settled inside of him." Turning towards him she pointed her arms at him directly. "Who among you will test this man? Who of you will test whether he has accepted the truth!" All the shadows seemed to close in on Yu, strange whispers ringing throughout the whole legion.

"Rawr!" Yu than fell face first upon the ground. "I'll show you what's what!" A pelt of tiny fists began to beat Yu's back. With little effort Yu rolled over and found he was now laying on top of something. "Argh! Get off! Wahaha!"

Listening to the pathetic voice Yu stood up and saw the short little shadow lying on the ground. "Was that it?"

"Grr! Don't take me for being a weakling!" The short shadow hopped back to its feet and took on a fighting stance. "Come on! Put 'em up!"

Yu nodded and got into a fighting stance too. "Fine let's go!"

"Argh!" the short shadow than hunched over and covered its head. "Don't hit me."

"You were just threatening to beat me up!"

The short shadow than made a mad dash towards Yu. "Ha! Sneak attack!" Unfortunately for it, Yu was completely prepared for the attack this time. With a swift slap he sent the short shadow flying towards the legion that surrounded them. "Ow! Ow! Why'd you hit me like that?"

"Um... not that I am complaining, but is he really all your willing to send up against me?" Yu crossed his arms and watched as the little shadow tottered away from the shadow legion.

"All I wanted to see was if you could fight against the shadows. This is enough for the time being." After the shadow woman said this all the other shadows began to fade into the fog, which began to envelope Yu. "I wish you the best of luck in the days to come..." the shadow woman than faded away into the fog as well. As the fog ensnared Yu he became light headed and collapsed.


	4. School Days

A strange screech began to pierce through the darkness, sending a feeling of dread through Yu. It kept growing louder and louder, not once alternating from its cruel shrieks. ″Stop, please...″ Yu felt himself smack at the air, only to have his hand plop onto a cold floor. Opening his eyes slightly Yu squinted out at the world around him. The sound of something pelting against a window filled the room. Not a trace of the fog seemed to be left. The reality of being back in his bedroom had yet to fully dawn on him, and all Yu mustered was a dazed stupor.

Creaking as it opened, the bedroom door revealed Nanako looking in. An annoyed curl had grown upon her brows. ″Um... are you getting up? Your clocks been going off for a few minutes.″

Yu, with a glassy expression, looked over to the clock which was glaring at him with flashing red numbers. Grumbling as he crawled over to the clock he hit it, and all was silent.

″Finally...″ Nanako relaxed her shoulders and began to leave the room.

″Wait... what day is it?″ Yu rubbed his eyes as the world began to come into full focus for him.

″Tuesday.″ Nanako than shut the door and ran off.

Looking over at the clock Yu gave a sigh and began to dress himself up. ″What a night.″

While he made his way down the stares Yu could smell the scent of eggs frying. Peeking into the kitchen Yu saw Nanako moving some sunny side eggs to a plate and brought them over to a folding table that had been set up since the night before. ″You always make breakfast?″ Yu smiled and walked over to Nanako, who shrugged. ″It looks pretty good. You must have had a lot of practice. Did your dad teach you?″

″Yeah.″ Nanako began to tap her feet together while she began to eat her food. ″I can make toast too!″ her head perked up her tone sounding more enthusiastic. ″Dad taught me a while ago so I could make my own breakfast. He usually leaves early so I guess that's why he taught me.″

″Do you make dinner too, or does Dojima-san do that?″ Yu poked the yolk and began to mix it into the white of his eggs.

″Dad doesn't really know how to cook much of anything so we mostly just buy something from the store.″

'Explains the TV dinners and soda from last night...' Yu began to dab the toast on to his eggs.

Nanako looked down at her plate and began to bite her lower lip. ″Um...″

Glancing up at Nanako Yu gave her a grin. ″What is it Nanako-chan?″

″Oh!″ surprised she lifted her head up to face Yu. ″I was just wondering... you start school today?″

″I do indeed.″ Yu neatly put his food to the side and looked attentively at Nanako. ″Why do you ask?″

Nanako looked down again and began to use her fork to circle her eggs around the plate. ″We both go the same way, so I was wondering if you could walk with me to my school. You know since its on the way.″

″Sure Nanako-chan, that would be nice.″

Nanako had a soft smile grow on her face. ″Thank you...″

The rain poured down heavily on their umbrellas as Yu and Nanako swished their feet through the watery streets. ″So how well did you sleep last night?″ Yu glanced over at Nanako who gazed at him with a puzzled face.

″I slept fine. Why do you ask?″

″Oh, you know, I want to get to know you. Thought I'd start off small and build up from there.″

″Oh.″ Nanako looked down at her feet and kicked at the water sending it off into the air. ″... How'd you sleep?″

″Fine, I guess.″ Yu rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. ″You know, I had this weird dream last night. At least... I hope it was a dream.″

″I have weird dreams a lot too. Once I dreamed that dad was putting platypuses into the bathtub.″ Nanako placed a finger to her chin thoughtfully. ″Then there was the time I dreamed that Kazu and Rei were having a swing contest. I don't know what the contest actual was about, but I remember it involved the swings.″ Nanako looked over at Yu and smiled. ″What was your dream about.″

″I was trapped in a foggy world where I was surrounded by shadow people. Then I somehow got into a fight with one.″

Nanako gave a grimace. ″That sounds creepy. That was your first dream here?″

″Well it ended with me slightly hitting it and sending it flying. The weird shadow thing I fought was actually kind of endearing. It was really energetic.″ Yu than copied Nanako's thoughtful expression. ″I also had a dream involving a weird plant that could play a bass guitar. It went on the road and became an overnight sensation. At the end I somehow ended up getting married to it and we had three plant babies.″

″No way!″ Laughing, Nanako gently smacked Yu's pant leg.

Yu grinned as he watched Nanako laugh. ″Glad I could make you laugh. I'll consider that my first victory for the day.″

″You're kinda weird...″ Nanako held her umbrella with both hands and looked down to her feet. ″But that's okay. You're nice too.″ Nanako looked up at Yu and nodded. ″Well... I see my school from here. I'll be running on ahead.″ Nanako gave Yu a slight bow.

Smiling Yu nodded back at Nanako. 'Well, that's a good start. Hope that I can get her to open up to me some more.' After waiting to see Nanako enter her school Yu continued to walk to his own school. Around the final crosswalk to his school, Yu found the walk to be mostly uneventful after he separated from Nanako.

As he began to cross the street he heard a strange wailing. Checking over his shoulder he saw some guy on a yellow bike wobbling about madly. With a swift side step Yu watched as the bike rider passed by him. The bike rammed into a light post and launched the biker into the air. In the moment to follow Yu cringed in horror.

″Ngh... Ughhhhhhh!″ The biker was hunched over and cupping his crotch as he hopped up and down.

″You... need some help?″ Yu walked over to the unfortunate biker and hung his umbrella over his head. ″That looked pretty nasty.″

″Just go... your concern can't help me now...″ he forced himself to look up at Yu and gave a fake smile. ″I'll be okay, just... be on your way.″

″God speed.″ Yu bowed to the biker and continued on to the school gate. Yu stopped for a moment and looked up in awe at his new school. 'Yasogami High... I...' Yu grabbed his chest and took a deep breath. 'It's okay. I have been doing fine all the way up to here. Its a new start. No one knows me sure, but that won't stop me. Nothing is holding me back.' Yu pumped his fists in the air and looked with a determined gleam at his school. 'This will be the greatest school year of my life! I can just feel it.'

″Hey idiot, class is starting soon.″ a male student passed Yu, giving him a confused glance. ″Sheesh... quit acting so weird. People are starting to stare.″

Yu lowered his arms and saw the student was correct. His face quickly flushed and he took off at a run. Once inside he ran to the boys bathroom where he entered into a stall and shut himself in. Grabbing his face he let out a muffled scream and slid down to the ground. His hand began to move towards his bag, but Yu stopped himself. ″No, I have to get to the teacher's office to meet Mr. Morooka.″ Standing back up Yu pulled his hair back and again took a deep breath.

Leaving the bathroom Yu looked to his left to see a very perturbed looking man with an overbite. When he caught Yu in his sights his face contorted into something that Yu could only describe as the pinnacle of frustration. ″Yu?″ At hearing his name Yu nodded solemnly. ″Took your sweet ass time didn't you.″

″Sorry... I had to-″

″Don't tell me about your shitting problems! Let's just get this over with.″ With the harshness of a thunderstorm, Mr. Morooka breezed by Yu, sending a chill down his spine.

Yu began to follow after his homeroom teacher, whose lips kept curling as if he had just caught a whiff of something from the bathroom. 'Is he all right? Wonder if my being late really put him in such a bad mood...'

On the second floor Morooka made a beeline for Yu's class room, leaving Yu to jog to keep up with him. ″Listen here kid.″ Morooka swerved around and shoved a skinny little finger up at Yu. ″You only speak when I say you can. You only leave the class room when I say you can. And if I catch you trying to hook up with any of our girls here, I'll ruin whatever bit of a love life you've made for yourself. Got it?″

Yu nodded. 'Right, only date dudes.'

″Wipe that smirk off your face!″ Morooka growled as he grabbed the classroom door.

Yu's face flushed and he quickly grimaced. 'Shit! Did I seriously start smirking? I need to get better control of that.' The door opened and Yu was met with the sound of a dozen teenagers all talking at once, making a jumbled bedlam of sound. Gazing out into the group Yu saw the biker laying out on a desk, his face pointed down. 'Glad he got in fine.'

″All right, shut your traps!″ Morooka yelled, the veins in his forehead began to throb. ″I'm Kinshiro Morooka, your homeroom teacher from this day forward!″ Morooka grew silent for a moment, a feeling of dread filling Yu as he watched the teacher glare at all the student. ″ First things first! Just cause its spring don't think you can swoon over each other like love-struck baboons.″

'What do love-struck baboons look like anyway?' Yu looked out at the student before him and saw most didn't seem to be paying Morooka much attention. In fact they all had a glazed look in their eyes. 'I doubt this is what they'd look like...'

″As long as I'm around you students will be as pure as the driven snow.″ A disturbing grin came over Morooka's face which caused both Yu, and most of the students, to cringe. Morooka glared up at Yu and scoffed. ″Now I hate to waste my time, but better introduce this new transfer student.″ Morooka than motioned at Yu like he was a prize on a game show. ″This sad sack has been thrown out of the big city and dropped off here in the middle of nowhere like yesterday's garbage.″

Yu felt something pop in the back of his head. His fists began to quiver as he resisted the urge to force them into Morooka's face.

Morooka looked back to the class and crossed his arms, and let out a soft laugh. ″He's as much of loser here as he was there, so you girls better not get any ideas of hitting on this freak.″

'I swear if this man doesn't shut up soon... argh!' Yu rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

Morooka motioned Yu towards the class. ″Now introduce yourself, and make it fast.″

″...″ Yu stood silently glaring down at Morooka, his fists still quivering.

″Oh, going through a rebellious phase, huh?″ Morooka looked at the class and smiled. ″Isn't he just a riot. Really I'm laughing!″ Morooka turned from the class and shoved his skinny finger back into Yu's face. ″Now listen up! This town is miles away from your city of perverts and assholes, in more ways than one.″

Yu rolled his eyes only for Morooka to grab a book from his desk and hit Yu on the head. ″Don't you go disrespecting me you little shit!″ Morooka grabbed Yu by the collar and pointed out at the classroom. ″You better not even think of getting involved with the girls here, let alone abusing them.″

'It's officially a challenge. I am going to hit on every guy in this room... discounting this troll before me... wonder if I could get him fired for this?' Yu than felt another hit on his head. Grimacing Yu sighed and lowered his head.

″What do I know, that's what your thinking isn't it!″ Morooka pushed Yu away and tossed the book back onto the table. ″Here's what I know. Things aren't like they used to be. You kids grow up so damn fast, even here!″ Morooka than began to pace about behind his desk. ″Every time I turn my back you little shits pull out your cell phone, checking your... life-journals or... or your my-places.″ Morooka than began to go off on a tangent about other social-networking sites in general.

'Should... should I go find a seat?' Yu began to inch away, but couldn't bring himself to move too far for fear of risking Morooka's further wrath.

A green sleeved shirt suddenly shot up. ″Um, could the transfer student sit over here?″ Yu looked over and saw a light brown haired girl looking at him with an air of sympathy.

″Huh? Oh. Ya hear that, your seats over there.″ Morooka seemed to have become more calm. Plopping down into his seat he began to massage his head. ″God damn it...″ He pulled a bottle out of his pocket and popped a pill into his mouth.

Yu quickly walked over to the seat next to his savior and gave a sigh of relief. ″Thanks.″ Yu whispered as he looked over at Morooka who was still massaging his head.

″Don't mention it. Morooka's is the absolute worst. He does this every time we get someone from the city.″ She gave a meaningful glance back at the biker who was sitting behind Yu.

Yu nodded and looked forward at the teacher. 'God... what luck. I end up in the homeroom from Hell.' Resting his head down Yu let his eyes droop, the hum of the other students chatting lolling him into a sleepy state.

″Shut your traps!″ Morooka slammed his hands on the desk snapping everyone into attention. ″Shit...″ Morooka hunched over and began to massage his head again. ″I'm taking roll... you all better respond in an orderly manner.″

Yu sighed and hunched down into his seat. The girl next to him leaned back into her chair, a glazed look came over her eyes. 'I wish I was back in the fog world.'


	5. A Death in Inaba

_**Note: Sorry if it seems too short, I just general stop where I feel it would be a good stopping point. **_

Stretching out his back Yu gave a contented sigh as he found it was time at last to leave the damned class room. Open on his desk was a notebook that had the number ___15 _scrawled on it_. _Looking behind himself he watched as the biker looked warily at the green coated girl, his hands shaking as he put his books back into his backpack. Turning towards the girl Yu saw she was sprawled out on her desk groaning

"Man... who knew King Moron was going to be our home room teacher again?" Groaning she covered her head with her arms and stomped a foot on the floor.

A girl in a nice red shirt looked back at the green coated girl and shrugged. "It wasn't as bad as when Yosuke-kun came in. Lets consider ourselves lucky that Mr. Morooka wasn't feeling well today."

Yu looked back to his things and began to pack up when he felt a quick tap on his shoulder. Glancing over he saw the green coated girl grinning at him. "Pretty big shocker finding out what your first class would be like huh?"

Nodding slowly Yu began to put his notebook away. "Yeah, I didn't think I'd ever actually meet a guy like that." Yu looked over at Mr. Morooka who was in the middle of talking to some students. Yu grew quiet and looked down to his bag, doing nothing but sit at his desk.

"Okay..." the green dressed girl gave Yu a questioning look but just shrugged. Turning forward she tapped the red one on the shoulder. "Hey Yukiko, you haven't let me come over to the inn for a while. Is something going on up there? "

The girl, Yukiko, grimaced and stood up. "Just a certain guest... Can't really talk much about it. Let's get going though." Yukiko held her bag over her shoulder and waited till her friend stood up.

The girl in green looked over at Yu and beckoned him over. "Hey, new guy, let's go."

"Huh?" Yu's face flushed. He tried to get up quickly, but he stumbled a bit since he was still in his desk.

"Oh man!" the girl in green began to laugh and held her stomach. "Man that's hilarious! Oh... oh..." she wiped a tear from her face and cleared her throat right as Yu was in the middle of stopping his desk from toppling over. "Sorry." She grinned and helped set the desk right, "How about some introductions. I'm Chie Satonaka." She raised her hand up and waited for Yu's response.

Yu looked down at her hand and awkwardly grabbed it. "Yu Narukami..."

Chie smirked and gave his hand a firm squeeze. ″Nice to meet you, Narukami.″

The girl in red walked over and bowed to Yu. ″It's nice to meet you Mr. Narukami. I'm Yukiko Amagi. I hope that you'll enjoy your time here in Inaba.″ Yukiko glanced up and saw Chie giving her a depressed look. ″What?″

″You're so formal! You make me look like I've got no manners at all.″

″Oh! I'm sorry.″

″No, it's nothing to be sorry about... let's get going.″ Chie looked over at Yu and motioned for him to follow her and Yukiko. ″Come on Narukami, we'll show you around... not that there's much to see here.″

Yu hung his bag on his shoulder and promptly got out of his seat. While walking around there was a sound coming from the school speakers. ″All teachers are to report the teachers lounge as quickly as possible. To the students, head directly home today with no side trips today. That is all.″ After the speaker went off the entire room become abuzz with talk.

″What do you think happened?″

″I bet its something big.″

Chie sighed and hung her head low. ″Man... well I guess we can show you some stuff on the way home.″ Chie pumped her fists and nodded. ″Yeah! Let's get going!″

Following behind the two girls Yu noticed the biker quietly walking up to Chie, a DVD case in his hands. ″Um... Chie, I...″

″Hm? What's up Yosuke?″ the DVD was than promptly shoved into her face. ″What the hell?″ grabbing the DVD she looked it over carefully. ″Oh, Trial of the Dragon. Awesome wasn't?″ Chie began to put the DVD into her bag when Yosuke tapped her arm gently. Her face looked into his and she went pale. ″Yosuke...″

″It was an accident! It was raining and I started to skid about...″ Yosuke winced when Chie opened the case.

″Oh! It's completely cracked!″ Her face contorted as she held the DVD close to her chest. ″My Trial of the Dragon!″ her cry brought the attention of the rest of the class.

″Um... Chie, you might want to calm down a little.″ Yukiko held Chie's shoulder's and looked warily at the audience as they were congregating.

″Now Chie, like I was saying I was-″ Chie than promptly kicked Yosuke in the leg making him fall over. ″Ghfff!″

″ Shut it Yosuke! We'll talk about this later...″ Chie shoved the DVD into her bag and leered down at Yosuke, her tone highly threatening. ″Let's go you guys.″ Chie swerved about and stormed off. Yukiko looked down and Yosuke and just shrugged before following after Chie.

Yu came over and patted Yosuke on the shoulder. ″You gonna be all right?″

Shrugging Yosuke sat down in a nearby desk and started to rub his leg. ″That's gonna leave a bruise.″ Looking up at Yu he flashed him a grin and nodded. ″Don't worry about me, you better hurry off. Chie's not in a very patient mood right now.″

Yu nodded and ran off to catch up with the green and red girls. When he caught up they were already descending down the stairs. ″Oh, hey Narukami.″ Yukiko bowed towards Yu again, letting Chie get ahead a little more as she continued to storm on ahead. Looking back at the quickly disappearing green coated girl Yukiko sighed ″Chie...″ Yukiko quickly ran off to catch up, leaving Yu to follow in kind.

It wasn't till they were getting close to the gate that Chie began to calm down. ″Sorry about that whole upset... I...″ Chie sighed and leaned onto the gate of the school. ″ I just wasn't expecting to get it back like that. Yosuke had been asking for like ever to get to see my limited edition Trial of the Dragon DVD, I even told him there would be repercussions if it got messed up.″ Chie's clenched her fist and glared over to the school where Yosuke was unchaining his bike. ″Dire repercussions...″

″Chie, don't you think you're being a little dramatic?″

Quietly Yu watched as the two girls spoke together, sighing he let his head lull to the side. 'Can we just go home...' looking back at Yosuke he saw him grinning widely. 'What's got him in such a good mood all of a sudden?'

″Ladies~″ Yosuke flashed the two girls a huge grin and bowed gentlemanly. Yukiko looked over at Yosuke sardonically and Chie just began to gag.

″What's up with you?″ Chie crossed her arms and glared at Yosuke, her fists beginning to tighten. Yu began to inch away from Yosuke.

″Um, yeah... shouldn't we be heading home?″ Yu quietly asked as some more student passed them.

″Yeah you're right Yu.″ Chie smiled defiantly and than waved at Yosuke dismissively. ″Let's go Yukiko.″

″Aw come on, at least let me make it up to you.″ Yosuke leaned on his handlebars and looked eagerly at Chie.

″A steak isn't gonna make it any better Yosuke.″ Chie spat. ″This isn't like when you messed up my poster! I could easily by a new one.″

″Come on Chie!″ Yosuke stood up straight and began to glare at her. ″How about I buy you a new copy.″

″And where are you going to get one?″

Yukiko groaned and tugged on Chie's sleeve. ″We really need to get going Chie.″

Yu sighed and waved at the three teenagers at the gate. 'Not that this isn't fun but...' he cleared his throat and began to walk away.″I have to agree with Amagi, I need to get going. I don't want to stay out too long. You guys better get going too.″

Yukiko nodded and tugged harder on Chie's arm. ″Let it go Chie, you can talk more with him later.″

Chie gave Yosuke one last dirty look and let herself get dragged away by Yukiko who was following after Yu. ″This isn't over Yosuke! Not by a long shot!″

″I'll have a new copy by then!″ Yosuke called out to her as they began to cross the crosswalk.

After the three had gone a good distance they had come upon a more baron part of town that looked out at some farm fields out in the distance. ″Yeah so... this is Inaba.″ Chie waved her arms out at the fields to their side. ″Not much to write home about, huh?″

Yu just shrugged and looked over at Yukiko who was just silently walking on ahead of them. ″It's not too bad. I like the quiet, its kind of serene.″

″If you say so.″ Chie folded her arms and held them behind her head. Her gaze shifted over to Yukiko for a second and her mouth turned up into a smile. ″You know, I think we're actually popular for something though. Was it pottery...″ Yukiko stiffened up a little bit in her walking, but kept on moving ahead. ″Oh yeah! We've got this great inn. People from all over come just to get in their hot springs.″

Yukiko looked back at Chie and gave her a sharp glare.

″Oh come on Yukiko, its nothing to be ashamed of.″ Chie ran up to Yukiko and wrapped her arms around her shoulder. ″Yukiko's family runs the Amagi inn, its kind of a big deal.″

″Chie...″ Yukiko groaned.

″I've never heard of it before actually.″ Yu said as he searched through his backlog of information. ″Than again I don't usually pay attention to things like popular places or pop idols and other such things.″ Yu shrugged, and looked over at Yukiko again. 'They kind of act like siblings don't they... should I make an entry for them?'

Chie looked at how Yu was staring over at Yukiko and a strange smile played upon her face. It seemed to want to change into something else, but it remained as it was. Though it quivered. ″So, what do you think of Yukiko? Pretty cute isn't she?″

″Chie!″ Yukiko looked up at Chie and her eyes looked ready to water. ″Why are you asking him something like that.″

″Don't be modest Yukiko.″ Chie flashed a grin at the red shirted girl and gave her back a gentle pat. ″All the boys at our school at least once had a crush on Yukiko. But she turned'em all down.″ her tone seemed to emphasize the last bit.

Yu grimaced as Chie looked over at him with a playful air, though it continued to waver as if she was ready to go off like she had with Yosuke. ″Are you okay Chie?″ Yu quietly looked back to Yukiko who looked embarrassed.

″Oh I'm great.″ Chie leaned her head on Yukiko and sighed. ″So... do you like Yukiko?″

″I don't really know her at all. Why are you asking something that Yukiko isn't comfortable about.″ Yu placed his hands behind his back and tightly held his arms. 'Please let that be enough to end this! Please just end this!'

Chie looked down at Yukiko and she seemed to relax.

″Its all right Narukami. ″Yukiko looked up at Chie and smiled up at her. ″Chie, let's get going again.″

Chie nodded and hugged her. ″Okay Yukiko.″ and the two than began to walk on, Yu remaining in the background.

As they entered into a more housed area of the town the three began to slow down. They saw police tape blocking off a street and quickly they started to walk side by side. ″What happened here?″ Chie looked at Yukiko and nodded. ″I'll be right back.″ Chie ran on ahead to some women who had congregated around the tape.

Yu squinted and could see Dojima yelling something up to people who were on top of a roof, on the grounds near the house there was a body bag. Yu felt a chill run through his spine and suddenly his knees buckled and he collapsed.

″Narukami!″ Yukiko bent down and grabbed him. ″What happened?″

″Dead... dead...″ Yu thrusted his hand into his hand bag and took out his navy journal. His hand fumbled for his key as he tried to pull it out of his shirt. Yukiko quickly took hold of it and helped to unlock his journal. Taking a pen out, Yu jotted down what he had seen. _04/12 __ While walking down the road with some schoolmates I happened upon a crime scene where in I saw a body bag laid out near an ambulance._

As Yukiko followed along her own face began to flush. Quickly she looked up to see as some paramedics put the body into a van. ″Oh my God...″

Chie came running back her own face having paled. ″Guys, they found a dead woman hung up on that antenna up there!″ Chie pointed towards the house where Dojima was now climbing up the roof. Up there with him was a younger looking officer who was sitting hunched over by the antenna. ″They said that they didn't know much about what was going on since the cops are trying to keep everyone off the place... man, how could something like that happen here.″

Yu and Yukiko's eyes widened when they saw the hunching police officer slide down the ladder and come running in their direction. Chie turned around in time to see him leap over the police tape and hurl himself nearby in a patch of grass where he began to dry heave.

″Adachi!″ Dojima came soon after, jumping over the police tape too, but as he came closer he saw Yu still on the ground with Yukiko standing by with her hand on his back. ″Yu...″ Rubbing his eyes Dojima gave a disgusted sigh and walked over to the man in the grass who was wiping saliva off his lips. Grabbing him by his collar, Dojima forced him to his feet. ″Listen up, your acting like a rookie. You're not helping anyone with all these hysterics.″ Dojima waved his arm towards Yu and his group. ″Now man up and get back to work.″ Adachi gave Dojima a sickened glare, but did as we was told to. Sighing again Dojima looked over at Yu who was finally standing back up.

″What happened?″ Yu asked, his voice cracking.

″I don't think I should talk to you about that right now... why did you come this way? Didn't the school tell you not to come this way?″

Yukiko shook her head as she let her hand slide off of Yu. ″No, they just told us to go straight home.″

″Damn school...″ Dojima groaned and again rubbed his eyes. ″Thanks for walking Yu this far, but I'll take it from here...″ The girls looked curiously between Yu and Dojima, but began to head back the way they came.

″We'll be taking a different road... see you tomorrow Yu.″ Chie gave Yu a weak smile and with her countenance shaken she began to head off.

Yukiko ran up to Yu and bowed to him. ″I'm sorry that you had to experience this... if we had gone a more traveled way we could have avoided this whole experience.″

″It's okay, go on ahead. I'll take it from here.″ Dojima waved her off, to which she gave a weak nod. Turning away from Dojima and Yu she ran off to Chie, who was waiting by a building at the edge of the corner. Dojima looked down to Yu who was holding tightly to his arm. Yu's expression was blank as he looked at where the place the two girls had turned on the corner. Dojima looked awkwardly about and slipped his arm out Yu's grasp. ″I'm sorry you had to see this Yu. And on your first day at school too...″ Dojima rubbed his neck and sighed. ″Hey... Adachi?″

″Wh-what is it Dojima-San?″ the young police officer came over, his own countenance wavering with horror.

″Could you escort Yu home. I don't think he's up to heading there by himself.″

Adachi nodded and walked over to Yu who was handed off to him. As Dojima headed off without another word Adachi gave a disheartened sigh and looked down to Yu. ″Let's get going...″ As they headed towards the same corner the girls had turned on, Yu looked back at Dojima who was back on the roof investigating the area. ″He's one of our better detectives, its probably for the best that he chose to stay behind. We want to get that killer as soon as possible.″ Adachi looked back at Dojima and nodded. ″Some welcoming to Inaba though. Bet you'll never forget this.″

'I most definitely won't,' Yu held tightly to his hand bag as the horrible scene disappeared from his view.

After getting dropped off at the house Yu quietly entered into the living room where he saw Nanako sitting patiently by the TV that was flashing the news on it. ″Oh, welcome home.″ Nanako looked Yu over and her brows furrowed. ″Are you okay, you look upset.″

Yu's faced Nanako and shook his head. ″I don't think I should be the one to tell you about it...″

″Is it really that bad?″ Nanako watched as he sat down, her fists tightening.

″ Yeah... it is.″ Yu lay onto his back and looked absently at the ceiling.

Nanako grimaced and looked back to the TV as it switched on over to the news. ″Our top story this evening involves a bizarre case in a quiet suburb.″

Yu's face flushed as he watched the report go on. Nanako's face became flushed too and after it finished she, on the verge of tears, looked over at Yu. ″Dad isn't coming home tonight.″ Nanako held her hands tightly and looked down into her lap. ″Why would someone hang a body on an antenna? It's really scary...″

Yu got up and sat by Nananko. Wrapping his arms around her he heard her give a surprised gasp. ″It'll be all right Nanako... Dojima is out there right now working on this case. He'll keep us safe, and till he gets back I'll stay by your side.″

Nanako leaned her head against Yu and wrapped her arms around his chest. ″Thank you...″

Suddenly a familiarly sickening voice came on the TV. "At Junes everyday is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products."

″Oh! Junes!″ Nanako crawled away from Yu and looked happily at the TV.

″Every day's great at your Junes!″

″Every day's great at your Junes!″ Nanako sang happily. Yu stared blankly at the TV, a strange feeling of discomfort rising inside of him. Nanako looked over at him and smiled. ″Come on, sing it with me!″

″Every day's great at your Junes...″ Yu awkwardly sang.

Nanako clapped her hands, ″I just love Junes! Whenever it comes on it always makes me feel better no matter what's going on.″

'That was a rather unexpected juxtaposition. I still hate this song though.' You smiled though and sang the song along with Nanako. 'It makes her feel better though... that's good enough reason to bare with it.'

″Every day's great at your Junes!″ They both sang together.


	6. Black Out

Resting in Nanako's room, Yu lay close to her as a wall clock kept ticking away the time left till morning. With unease he raised himself up from Nanako's side, who had just fallen asleep hours ago. Quietly he tiptoed his way to her room's door and surveyed the dark house. After finishing he headed back to Nanako's side where he laid himself again. 'It's gotten pretty late, its almost midnight. Dojima-San where are you?' Yu sighed and rested his head down and continued his vigil till his uncle's return.

When the hands on the clock reached midnight there was a sudden silence that came over the house. Yu looked up to the clock and saw its hands had stopped moving. "What..." Looking down to Nanako Yu brushed back her hair and found her breathing gently in and out. "I'll be back in a second Nanako." Yu kissed her forehead and quietly searched her room.

Finding nothing Yu headed to her door and began to look around the house again. Everything in the house had seemingly stopped. Even the clock in his own room seemed to have lost all its power. Hitting a switch Yu found that the entire place was going through a blackout. Looking out the window he saw that even the streetlamps were out. "What is going on?"

Quickly Yu hurried back to Nanako who still seemed safe and sound. Right as he began to sit beside her a crackling sound began to sound throughout the house. Flushing Yu looked down to Nanako than back to her bedroom door. Footsteps began to sound too. At hearing this Yu rushed to Nanko's door and and grabbed her little red chair which was by a fancy looking table with dolls.

The footsteps grew closer till they stopped at Nanako's door. Yu gripped the chair and raised it in attack. The door slid open and Yu lunged out. With a strike from a little red chair, the supposed intruder fell to the ground. When Yu's adrenaline cooled down his eyes began to see a cursing detective. "Do-Dojima..." Yu's grip on the chair released and it thudded to the ground. "Oh, thank God." Yu fell to his knees and sat near the open door.

"What the hell Yu?!" Dojima yelled as loud as he could without waking Nanako. "What were you doing? Just waiting around to jump me at my own daughter's room?"

"I..." Yu flushed. A welt was forming on Dojima's head. "Dojima-San, I am so sorry." Yu got up and ran off "I'll go get some ice. Stay there."

"Right..." Dojima got up and followed after Yu. "I think I... need to sit down somewhere."

Yu had run into the kitchen and pulled a flashlight out of a cabinet. "Should I call an ambulance?" Yu than made a beeline to the telephone in the living room but Dojima grabbed Yu by the shoulder.

"Okay, cool it." Dojima brought Yu's arms to his side. "I'll check if my eyes dilate and then we'll see what we'll do next." Dojima took the flashlight from Yu and had him sit down in the living room.

Sitting patiently, Yu looked down at his hands and held them tightly together. 'Damn it, I didn't hear him come in... stupid crackling. But where did it come from?' Yu looked over to the TV which was still dark as was the VCR.

When Dojima finally returned to Yu, he sighed and walked over to the freezer and wrapped some ice in a towel. "You've got a pretty good arm..." Dojima lumbered over to Yu's side and plopped down next to him. "Geeze..." Dojima looked over at Yu, who was still looking down. "Don't be like that. I'll be fine." Dojima gently punched Yu in the arm and gave a weak laugh. "Gotta say, glad your in the family. With you around I think Nanako'll be pretty safe." Dojima leaned back into his seat and groaned. "Glad you figured out it was me after the first hit. Not sure how I would have ended up if you kept hitting me."

Yu looked over to Dojima and bowed his head lowly. "I am so sorry Dojima. I... kind of freaked out and panicked. With the power outage and the crackling and-."

Dojima rested a finger on Yu lips and gave a soft "Shhhh." Dojima grinned and patted Yu's shoulder. "Thanks for sticking with Nanako till I got back. I'm guessing she was pretty scared with everything going on." Yu slowly nodded and let himself rest on Dojima's shoulder. Dojima gave a soft laugh and tussled Yu's hair. ″Go to bed, you've had as long a night as I have I'm guessing.″

Yu hugged Dojima and tiredly walked out of the living. Before heading to his room, however, Yu put the red chair back where it belonged. Giving Nanako another kiss on the head Yu finally left to go to his own room.

Plopping right onto his futon Yu gave a weary groan. "This has been just a wonderful day." he began to reach for his journal but stopped. Looking over to the light at the ceiling Yu sighed. "Whatever..." Shutting his eyes Yu lay on his side. 'Where was that crackling sound coming from? All the electronics were off. Was there someone inside the house with something like a battery radio? It kind of sounded familiar though.' Yu's eyes slowly opened. 'Like I had heard it just a little while ago...' Yu turned his head over to the TV. Quietly he got up and crawled to it. While on his knees his hand touched upon something metal.

Lifting it up off the floor Yu saw something that looked like some kind of trophy. Looking it over he glanced over to his TV and continued on closer. Reaching to one of the buttons at the base of the TV, Yu attempted to turn it on. It did nothing. He got up and look behind the TV to see that its cable was not plugged in. 'Of course...' bending down Yu grabbed at the cable and began to try and get the plug into place. Due to the lighting though he kept hitting the wall. 'Come on you stupid... wait a second?' Yu stood back from the TV and laughed. 'It was never plugged in. So, that really was a dream.' Yu gave a sigh of relief and placed the trophy on the desk.

'That doesn't explain where this came from though... or the crackling for that matter.' Yu looked the trophy over thoughtfully. 'Maybe it was Dojima's? I should probably ask.' When Yu got into the living room he noticed Dojima had lain himself out on the couch and was snoring. 'I guess we'll talk later.'

When morning came along Yu opened his eyes to see his alarm was flashing 12:00. 'Really hoping I didn't sleep in.' Getting up he stretched himself out. Turning towards his desk Yu's eyes widened. "What in the world?"

There on the desk was a metal statue of what looked like a bear... mascot... thing. Yu got up and looked down at the engraving at the base of the statue. _Number One Teddie Fighter!_ With a puzzled look, Yu left his room.

"Morning" Nanako quietly brought the eggs to the table and hopped into her seat. "Dad said to let you know that your usual way to school is still blocked off, so you and me will be going a different way to school."

Taking a seat Yu slid his eggs over to himself and poked at the yolk. "Did... your dad seem all right?"

"Actually... he had this bump on his head. When I asked him about it he told me to forget it." Looking down to his eggs Yu bit his lower lip. Nanako tilted her head and lowered her fork, "What is it?"

"I'd rather not talk about it..." Yu began to play around with his eggs.

Nanako let out an exasperated sigh, "No one tells me anything." she laid her head on the table and sighed again.

Yu took a bite of his eggs and shrugged. "If it makes you feel better, I am not going to tell this one to anyone... wait." Yu looked back towards the stairs. "I'll be right back. I gotta do somethings."

"Wait, but your eggs." Nanako watched as Yu leapt from his seat and hurried away. "Sheesh." grumbling she took another bite from her eggs.

Lifting up a side of his futon Yu took out his navy and burgundy journals. He unlocked the navy one and flipped over to the date _04/12. _Continuing from his entry about the dead body he began to write about the other night. While he was writing he didn't notice the sound of soft footsteps approaching him from behind. A gentle hand tapped against his shoulder making Yu flinch. ″Gah!″ Turning around he slowly smiled and lowered his shoulders, "Oh... Nanako, give me a second. I'll be ready in a minute or two."

"Okay..." Nanako gave you a suspicious look, but left the room.

When the two entered into the shopping district they both were extremely quiet. The street itself seemed vacant of life. Looking to his side he saw a textile shop, where he finally saw another human being. A bleached blond guy was looking out the window, a look of listlessness on his face. After passing him Yu looked down to Nanako. ″How...″ Yu stopped himself. 'No, I don't want to make her think about that body. It'd be selfish to heap these feeling on a six year old girl.' Yu sighed and tilted his head to the side. There was a sudden slap to his thigh. Looking down he saw an annoyed Nanako.

″How what?!″ Nanako demanded, she crossed her arms and glared up at him. ″You've been acting weird all morning.″

Yu sighed and grabbed his face, ″Nanako, I haven't been having a great first week so far. I'm sorry if I don't listen, or ignore you. I'm... just having a lot to think about.″

Nanako's face scrunched up and she quickened her pace.

″N-Nanako?″ Yu quickened his own and got back to her side. ″I'm sorry, but what is it that I said?″

″It doesn't matter.″ Nanako's face softened, though she remained perturbed. ″I'm used to it.″

A spark went off in Yu and he felt his hand instinctively reach for his journal. 'Something tells me I'm not the only one with personal issues... have to remember to write this observation down when I get to school.' Frowning Yu gripped onto his handbag. 'Such a glorious day this is shaping up to be.'

Shortly after the two separated ways Yu found himself slowing his pace down as he walked the streets. His head was cast down, his grip still tight on his bag. 'How could anyone do something like that. Murder a person than hang them up like some ornament.' Yu shivered and ran his hands down his face. Sighing he looked up to the sky and crossed his arms. 'I want to go home...'

″Out of the way!″

Instinctively, Yu side stepped. The biker Yosuke came barreling down the street yelling the whole way. After whizzing by Yu, Yosuke's bike began to wobble and flip over, launching the biker into the air. With a crash he landed into a trash can, which toppled over. Running over Yu bent down and helped Yosuke out. ″I'm starting to wonder if you're doing this all on purpose.″ Yu smiled as Yosuke got to his feet.

″Thanks.″ Yosuke began to brush garbage off himself while Yu began to put the garbage back into the can.″Your Yu right? How did that get together with Chie and Yukiko go?″ Seeing Yu grimace Yosuke began to back peddle. ″Oh... ahem... so how about that weather?″ Overcast skies hovered above the two boys. Yosuke took his bike back and began to walk it down the street with Yu close by his side. ″Thanks for the assist. You've been stopping by to check on me a lot ever since we met... which was yesterday admittedly.″ Yosuke sighed and lowered his head.

Yu shrugged, ″It's just a string of bad luck. I'm sure things will get better.″

″Not so sure, I haven't found a replacement for Chie's DVD yet. She'll probably kill me after school.″

Thinking back to the interactions he had yesterday Yu found himself nodding. 'She is pretty aggressive isn't she. Pretty sure she's just going to kick him again though.'

″Dude! Why are you nodding?″ Yosuke with an aghast face leered at Yu. ″Way to support a bro when he's down.″

″Sorry about that...″ blushing Yu looked down to his bag.

Yosuke began to grin and patted Yu on the back. ″Don't sweat it dude. It's just a joke.″

″Sorry.″

″Dude, stop saying sorry.″ Yosuke flatly stated. He stopped his bike and gave Yu a reassuring smile, ″Relax, I'm not gonna bite your head off or anything.″

″I'm s... I just haven't been having that great of a first week here.″ Yu looked up at Yosuke who nodded his head.

″I hear ya bro.″ Yosuke draped an arm around Yu and continued to nod. ″It's been crazy. That dead lady popping up, King Moron as our homeroom teacher. It's enough to make anyone jumpy.″ Yosuke snapped his fingers. ″Idea! How about I treat you to a town delicacy. Steak. Okay maybe not the most amazing thing in the world, but it tastes great. Honest.″ Yosuke brought his hand down in a gesture for a shake. ″How's that sound?″

Yu grabbed Yosuke's hand and grinned. ″Sounds great.″ Noticing Yosuke's wristwatch Yu looked bit his lower lip. ″I... think we're going to be late.″

Yosuke looked down at the clock and slapped his head. ″Oh shit!″ Yosuke swung on to his bike and prepared to ride off. ″Hop on, I'll get you there as fast as possible.″

Yu's face flushed. ″Uh... maybe its better that we walk.″

″Look, either we get into an accident and go to the hospital or we can face the wrath of an angry Morooka. Your choice.″

Jumping on, Yu tightly grabbed Yosuke's waist. ″Get going!″

″We're off!″ the two road off as fast as two teenagers on a rickety bike could muster.


	7. Saki-Senpai

'Let's see... I suspect he'd be the perfect start.' Yu glanced behind his back at Yosuke, who was doodling in his notebook as the math teacher droned on. 'But... how should I start? Sheesh, I didn't think about that.' Yu turned towards the teacher and began to write down what she was saying. ' There are like... fifteen guys in homeroom. I don't even know how to flirt without making an ass of myself.' Yu shrugged his shoulders and leaned his head to the side. 'It was a spur of the moment plan, thoughtless and pointless. I am canceling operation flirt with every guy in Morooka's class effective immediately.'

Upon class's end Yu felt a sudden pat on his shoulders. ″So, are you ready to get going?″ Yosuke grinned widely as he threw his backpack over his shoulder.

″Now hold it!″ Chie slammed her hands on her desk, claiming Yu's and Yosuke's attention. ″You and me still got a lot to talk about.″

″Oh come on Chie!″ Yosuke lowered his head. ″I'm sorry okay, I'm still looking for that DVD for you. I promise.″ Yosuke rested his head on Yu's and patted his chest. ″I'm in the middle of giving this fellow city dweller a _proper_ greeting.″ Yosuke stood up straight and gave a smug grin. ″Honestly Chie, it sounds like you freaked this guy out yesterday.″

″It was the dead body that did that, you idiot!″ Chie quickly got out of her seat and grabbed at Yosuke.

Letting out a yell Yosuke quickly jumped away. ″Wow! Cool it Chie! We're still in class.″

Chie scrunched her face, her hands lowered to her sides. ″Fine...″ Face softening, she looked over at Yu. ″Sorry about yesterday anyway. You looked pretty freaked.″

Yu had been staring at Yukiko who was slumping in her seat. Looking at Chie he shrugged his shoulders. ″I'm all right... is Yukiko all right though?″

Hearing her name she turned to face Yu. Yukoko gave a weak grin and waved dismissively, ″Oh, its nothing. We're just having some trouble at the inn is all.″ Yukiko looked down at her bag and quickly picked it up. ″I should probably get going, come to think of it. I've got some work to do at the inn.″ Yukiko gave a quick bow and ran off.

″Y-Yukiko?″ Chie reached out to Yukiko as she ran by. Chie only got a slight hold of some fabric, before it slipped out of her hand. The door shut signaling the leaving of Yukiko. Quietly looking back at the two guys next to her Chie shrugged. ″So, mind if I tag along?″ looking over at Yu she smiled. ″So, where are you two headed anyway?″

″We're getting some steak...″ Yu looked over at Yosuke who face palmed. ″What?″

″Hmm...″ Chie glanced over at Yosuke and smirked. ″This gives me an idea. You take me out for steak till you find me a new _Trial of the Dragons, _and I'll let you live.″

Groaning Yosuke crossed his arms. ″Weren't you just telling me yesterday that steak wasn't gonna cut it?″

″Well, its not. What I'm saying is that you'll keep buying me steak till you find me a new _Trial of the Dragon_." Chie swung her book bag over her shoulder and made a shooting motion at Yosuke. "Till than, you'll be treating me... oh say once a week.″

″Fine! Whatever...″ Yosuke looked at Yu and shrugged his shoulders. ″Sorry, we'll have to be skipping on the town's specialty. I don't think I can afford feeding all three of us at the restaurant I had in mind.″

Chie's face darkened, ″Wait, what? Where else in town serves steak?″

Outside the three sat around a circular table, Yosuke came walking over with three plates balanced on his arms. "One for you Miss. One for you sir. And one for moi." Placed before Yu was a small hunk of flesh, next to it sat a soda cup; glancing over at Chie he saw an extremely scrunched up face and a fork held tightly in her hand. Looking back to his steak Yu picked up his fork and knife and began to cut into it. "Don't eat too fast guys." Yosuke took a bite from his meat and glared over at Chie.

"You call this steak?" Chie kept her face pointed down, her tone lower than Yu had ever heard it before.

'She... she's really freaking me out right now.' Yu began to fidget. Eyes on Yosuke he saw he was taking this all in strides.

"You are the one that hopped on the moocher wagon, might I remind you. I don't care if we agreed on me buying you steak every week till I get that damned DVD. You could have waited for a later date when I wasn't already buying for someone else." Yosuke took another bite of his meat and indignantly glared at Chie.

"Fine, I get your point... steak is steak. But did you really have to take me to your families' store? The other places in town haven't gotten much action since Junes got here." Chie waved her arms over to the giant Junes sign that hung nearby. A cute cat cut-out stood underneath with a word bubble that said, _Every day is customer appreciation day!_

"This isn't my families place!" Yosuke slammed his fists on the table making Yu flinch. "We just moved here to work at the damn place. Quit trying to make it sound like I'm running all the other stores out of business!"

Yu finished his bit of meat and began to take the plate away; his eyes warily cast upon the the two arguing teens. 'Maybe I should just head home...' As he put the plate on its designated place his shoulders became rigid. 'What should I tell them though?' Yu crossed his arms and looked intently at the ground. 'I could say that I have some chores to do at home, but... I really don't want to make something up.' Yu bit his lower lip and shook his head. 'I'm gonna have to stay here aren't I?'

"Hey there."

Yu let out a gasp and looked to his side to see a girl with wavy light brown hair. Blushing he cleared his throat and looked back down. "H...Hi..." Yu glanced over at his two acquaintances and saw Yosuke staring over at him with a blushed face.

"You look upset. Is something the matter?" Yu felt the girl place a hand gently on his shoulder. "You sick?"

"Hey Saki-Senpai." Yosuke walked over, smiling ear to ear. "You on break right now?"

"Oh, hey Hana-chan. Yeah, it just started." Saki removed her hand from Yu's shoulder and brushed some of her hair behind her ear. "Trying to boost the family business with some friends?"

"Madam! You wound me." Yosuke bowed to her lowly, to which Saki responded with a short laugh.  
"Oh, yeah. This is the new transfer student. Sadly, his first year is with Mr. Morooka." Yosuke plopped a hand on Yu's shoulder and made a head motions towards the table that Chie was still eating at. Smirking Yosuke looked back to Saki. "Why not sit down with us for a while. I haven't gotten to see you much Senpai."

Saki didn't seem to pay attention to the last part Yosuke mentioned and looked over at Yu."Oh, so you're the new guy. Guess that explains why you look so down. Yeah, Morooka is a real asshole."

"Um... do you want to sit down?" Yu motioned his arms towards the table at which Chie was now watching them with a bemused grin.

"Oh!" Saki turned to Yosuke. "Sorry Hana-chan, I'm really zoning out today." Saki gave a weak laugh and held the right side of her head. "Yeah lets go sit." At the table Yu looked quietly at Saki who's face appeared strained, bags lay under her eyes. "So, how'd you meet Hana-chan?" Saki sounded light of breath as she began to rub one of her eyes.

"Oh, he careened into a light post." Yu picked up his soda and took a sip. "Quite painful from what I saw."

"Oh yeah. It hurt like hell." Yosuke gave a weak laugh. Turning over to Saki, he ran a hand through his hair. "Seriously though, Saki-senpai... you're not looking too good. Is something wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

Saki faced towards Yosuke, but her eyes seemed to look past him. " To tell the truth, I really just want to go home." Lowering her head Saki shut her eyes and sighed. "I really hate this..."

"Saki-Senpai?" Yosuke leaned over to her and placed a hand on her back.

Shrugging her shoulders, Saki turned her eyes up at Yosuke. "I... I don't know." lifting herself up Saki pulled her hair back and smiled "I'm just really tired... after work I'm gonna have an appointment, than after that I'm going to be helping out at home. Hopefully I can finally get some sleep."

"What's the appointment for Senpai?" Yosuke went back to his seat and rested his hands on his knuckles.

"It's nothing Hana-chan. Just a little personal issue."

"Aw come on Senpai, you can tell me anything."

Yu looked over at Chie who's bemusement had faded away. Glancing at Yu she smiled and leaned over to his ear. "_If you didn't catch it, Yosuke's got a crush on Saki-Senpai. He's going to be ignoring us for a while til she leaves. Get comfortable._" Chie leaned back into her seat and watched Saki and Yosuke talk.

The conversation that occurred was Yosuke continually trying to figure out what Saki's appointment was. Yosuke was obviously just teasing, but Saki's smile became more strained as she and Yosuke continued on talking. "Hana-chan, seriously, drop it!" her sudden harsh inflection silenced Yosuke.

"Sorry, I guess I let that go on too long..." Yosuke slumped into his seat and rubbed the back of his head.

"No, no its okay. I'm just not in much of a mood for these little games right now Hana-chan." Getting out of her seat Saki pulled back her hair again, now frowning. "I'm gonna go somewhere else. I think I need some quiet... sorry guys." Saki began to walk away but stopped mid stride. Looking back she smiled at Yu. "Hana-chan doesn't have many friends. Please be good to him." Saki turned to Yosuke and gave him a weak smile. "You know... he can be real nosy, when he starts getting annoying you have to get right in his face and tell him to stop. Otherwise he won't stop. He doesn't seem to be able to read your body language."

"Senpai..." Yosuke face reddened and frowned.

"Huh?" Both Chie and Yu snapped out of whatever place there minds had wandered to and looked to Saki in surprise. Yu looked over at the red Yosuke and back to Saki. "Well... from what I've known of him he's been pretty nice. He's not bothered me yet."

Saki nodded and gave a soft laugh, "Well, just know he may at some point start annoying you." Sighing Saki pulled back her hair. "Sorry... I should really get going." Saki smiled at Yosuke and bowed. "I'm sorry Hana-chan."

After she had left Chie leaned onto the table and smirked. " You're quite a lady killer aren't you, _Hana-chan?_"

"Shut up Chie." Yosuke sunk into his seat, " Let's just talk about something else."

"Sure, I got an idea what we could talk about." Chie looked over at Yu and winked. "We're a small town, and like many small towns we got our share of urban legends."

"Like the spirit that lives at the shrine?" Yosuke's agitation suddenly disappeared.

'I guess nothing phases him for long.' Yu smiled and let the two discuss all the rumors that their town had obtained over the years. One urban legend said that in the Amagi inn a woman died and her ghost haunts the room she died in. Another talked about a boy who sold his soul to spirits and now lurks about the school seeking demonic artifacts.

"Here's a new one, and it might even be true." Chie looked between Yosuke and Yu and motioned them to come closer to her. She hunched down so that her face became covered in shadows. "So, there was this girl I overheard a few days ago. She was telling her friend that one rainy night she was staying up late playing on her computer when her TV, at midnight exactly suddenly, turned on."

"That it?" Yosuke dryly yawned and looked at his watch. "I think we're running the legend tap a little dry at this point."

Chie swiftly knocked Yosuke on the head. "Shut it, I'm not done you idiot." Chie went back to her old position and continued talking. "So, she went over to it and tried to turn it off. Nothing happened. While she was beginning to freak out a guy appeared on the TV. He looked cute and seemed to be looking right at her. After a few minutes of him being on the screen it turned off. She didn't know what to think of it so she stayed quiet. The next week she met the guy she saw on TV and the two fell in love instantly. Later he told her how he'd seen her on the TV one night too."

"That's new? Haruka was spouting that trash last semester." Yosuke shrugged and shook his head.

"No! I'm serious. I know this girl. I think her name's Rei."

"You think? Well that just adds authority to your opinion." Yosuke rolled his eyes at Yu and shook his head. "I bet she believes it too."

Chie's face reddened and she grabbed at his shirt collar. "I'm not making this up. I even saw her boyfriend!"

"That proves it how?"

"Its gonna rain tonight." Yu suddenly blurted. Yosuke and Chie both looked at the mostly silent Yu with surprise. "Um... well... maybe we could test this out. It probably won't work, but its a good way to put this argument to rest."

Yosuke and Chie looked to each other and nodded. "Fine, lets test it out." Chie raised her hand up and Yosuke shook it. After the test was agreed upon the three went there separate ways.

"See you tomorrow Yu!" Yosuke smiled as he rode off on his bicycle.

Yu waved till Yosuke turned on a street corner, than he lowered his hand. 'Well, I guess now is as good a time to write up some more stuff for his entry than any.' Yu looked down to his hand bag and took out his burgundy journal. While walking down the side of the street Yu took out his key and unlocked the book. Flipping through the pages he stopped at a section that read as follows:

_Chie Satonaka (classmate) _

_She has proven to be a highly aggressive young woman. She seems to be fine with me currently, but she seems to be highly possessive of her friend Yukiko. When I was looking at Yukiko for a long time period on 4/12 she seems to of misinterpreted what I was doing and went on a diatribe of how Yukiko has shot down every advance that has come her way. When interacting with these two woman be sure not to make any advances towards Yukiko, or anything that looks like an advance. Also she seems to hold grudges, be certain not to get on her bad side._

Yu flipped a few more pages till he came to an entry for Yosuke.

_Yosuke Hanamura (classmate)_

_A very upbeat individual who doesn't let anything effect him for very long._

It ended there, but Yu took out a pen from his pocket and began to write down more information.

_He seems to have a crush on a young woman by the name of Saki. I'm not sure if she reciprocates, though I suspect not. He seems to be unable to read the body language of other people, shown off when he was bothering an obviously tired Saki. He doesn't intentionally try to be a jerk to others. He just can be rather oblivious._

Yu let out an "Oof!" when he walked into a wall. Annoyed, he glared up at the offending object and with a swift kick struck it. Locking his journal he shoved it back into his handbag and walked back onto his path to home. Glancing about Yu made sure that there were no other person watching him.

By the side of the road that faced a large field Yu caught sight of a bleached blond teenager looking off into the fields. Flushing Yu looked down to his feet. 'Did he see that? Oh my God he did, didn't he? No Yu! Calm down.' grabbing his face Yu took a deep breath. 'He's not looking at you, he probably didn't see a thing.' Looking over at the blond Yu kept his eyes on him till he left his range of vision. When he couldn't see any other person around Yu went on to run home.

Opening the door Yu was met the sound of a beeping microwave. In the kitchen he saw Nanako pulling out some steaming bowls of noodles. Looking over at Yu she smiled and bowed her head. "Welcome home. Could you set up the table by the TV?" After the two had set up the evening supper they quietly waited at the table.

After twenty minutes had past and the food began to cool down. Yu bit his lower lip and looked over at the door. "Should we start eating?"

"No, dad said he'd be home in time for us to eat together." Nanako clenched her fists and looked down at her food. "If it gets cold we can heat it up again. I know he'll be here soon."

As if in response to her words the front door began to open. "Dad!" Nanako's face lit up and she ran over to the door. "Welcome home!" Nanako bounced on her feet as Dojima lumbered by her.

"Hey Nanako..." Rubbing his eyes Dojima sighed and plopped down onto the couch.

Nanako ran to the table and grabbed some of the food and a pair of utensils. "My teacher gave us some of her leftovers from yesterday, she said she'd like to know that we got to eat more than just the TV dinners." Running up to her father she gently placed the bowl into his hands and smiled up at him. "I hope you like it."

"Thanks Nanako, I'm sure it'll taste good." Dojima gave her a weak smile and took the utensils. "Hey, could you turn on the news? There's something I want to check on."

Nanako nodded and walked over to the remote. As soon as it was on, the TV showed a news anchor talking in length about the recent death in Inaba. Nanako climbed onto the couch next to Dojima and leaned herself onto his side. With a wry smile, Dojima looked down at her for a moment than looked back at the TV. His face began to harden when the anchor mentioned an interview with the student that found the body. "Damn it... I knew we should have kept a better eye on her."

Yu glanced worriedly at Dojima, than when he looked back to the TV his face paled. The face and voice from the screen was distorted, but he could tell exactly who it was. The wavy brown hair, and the basic shape were obviously Saki's.

"When you saw the body what went through your mind? Could you tell that she was dead, did you see her face?" an overly enthusiastic reporter shoved a mike into Saki's face only for her to back up nervously.

"Um... I don't know if I should be talking with you about... wait. She was killed?" the voice though distorted did not hide her confusion or her shock.

"Damn reporter, where'd they get that ass anyway." Dojima groaned and shook his head. "Turn it off, I saw what I needed to see."

Yu bent over and turned the TV off. Looking over at Dojima and Nanako Yu saw his uncle rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Dojima-San?"

"It can't be helped. At least she didn't say anything." Dojima directed his eyes towards his bowl and began to eat it hardily. Anymore discussion on the subject was dropped.

It was around Eleven fifty-seven and Yu was still up. Sitting on his couch he was reading some of his history book as the rain heavily hit his room's window. Glancing over at his digital clock Yu watched as it flashed to Eleven fifty-eight. Shutting his book Yu sighed and walked over to the TV, glaring intently at it. 'You know... I don't actually have to do this. I could just make something up.' Looking back at the window behind him Yu grimaced. 'Why am I doing this?' Yu looked down to his hands and clenched them. 'It's not like its going to really show us our one true love or anything like that...'

Glancing back at the clock he saw it was Eleven fifty-nine. Looking back at the TV he began to roll his neck and shoulders. 'Almost time...' suddenly the TV began to crackle and the lights in his room began to dim. Yu felt his face flush as an image began to come alive on the screen. Before him he saw the shadow of a girl running about, her muffled cries ushering forth from the TV. "Is this... happening?" reaching towards the screen Yu stopped when the TV let out a screech and the image changed. Orange and red lights flashed on the screen and the sound of a crowd roaring with excitement. Lowering his hand Yu tilted his head.

"Welcome one and all! It's time for us to get the show on the road!" The lights stopped and the sight of a strangely lit shopping district showed up. Standing in front of an alcohol shop was Saki dressed in a black top that stopped right above her bellybutton, which had a lip shaped pink gem. Her legs were covered with red bell bottom pants, and her high heels were a mixture of both red and black. Smirking she poked at her cheek and stuck out her tongue.

Yu's mouth dropped.

"Welcome to Saki Konishi's, The Dirt on You!" She made a strange hand gesture and twirled about, and suddenly a logo popped up on the screen showing off Saki's show title. "I bet you all can't wait to hear the juicy bits of info I've been holding back." Licking her lips Saki flipped her hair and let out a short laugh. "Stay tuned, you won't want to miss this." Again she twirled about and ran off into the alcohol store that was behind her.

The screen darkened and the lights went back to normal. "What the hell was that?!" Yu screamed. Quickly he covered his mouth and looked over at his door. When no one came barging in, he looked back to his TV. "Saki-Senpai?" placing a hand on the TV he felt a charge shoot through him. Falling to his knees he grabbed his head with his other hand.

'I am thou, thou art I... reach forth and begin your task.' the voice echoed in Yu's head and vibrated through the rest of his body.

Shivering he looked up to the TV. "My task?" The screen around Yu's hand began to ripple, and his hand began to sink into it like it was water. "Reach forth..." Standing up Yu felt his body growing hot, and his world began to spin. "This... can't be happening..." Suddenly Yu felt something grab at his hand. "Argh!" Yu was then yanked towards the TV. Peering about Yu found himself surrounded by rippling lights which disoriented him. Shaking his head Yu tried to pull himself out of the TV, he still had one arm out of it which he was using to keep himself from going all the way in.

Looking forward he saw a wavering shadow before him, which was grabbing his hand. Letting out a yell, which became distorted as it traveled with the lights, Yu pulled harder and felt he was breaking from the shadow's grip. 'Let go. Your journey begins now. You must go forth to seek the desires for truth!' Yu paused. The voice, it was the one from his dream... or not dream. Yu looked back and saw a watery looking version of his body on the other side of the TV. 'It is your choice. What you choose will define the fate of the one that waits for you.'

"Saki?" Yu voice again seemed to swim around him as the TV world rippled around him. There came another hard yank and Yu looked over to see the shadow was pulling harder on him.

'Yes.'

Yu took one last look back at his body from the other side of the TV. He than loosened the grip that was keeping him stationed. Shutting his eyes Yu folded his arm to his side and let himself get dragged the rest of the way into the TV. The light than suddenly collapsed around him and all that he could see for a moment was a strange blue face glaring at him.


	8. The Other Saki-Senpai

When things began to settle Yu watched as the blue face came closer to him, surrounding it was nothing but darkness. 'I am thou, thou art I. Reach forth and my power is your power. I shall wield you as much as you wield me.' The shadow's hands rested on Yu's hands and nodded. The blue face proved to be a mask which covered the shadow's true face. 'The time for your true test against lies and truths comes soon.' There was a shimmer of light which made Yu's eyes squint. When it died down Yu saw a blue card floating down to his chest where it phased into him.

Everything became silent and Yu found himself surrounded by a thick fog. Sitting up he looked about and could vaguely make out a place that looked familiar to him. Waving his arms about he tried to send the fog away, but found it did nothing. Sighing he slumped his shoulders and began to walk about the strange place. "Saki-Senpai's in here... you know where she is?"

'Yes.' the voice shivered through Yu.

"Oh, God this is creepy." Yu shook his body and stomped his foot. "Gah! Okay, okay, calm down." Grabbing his head Yu took a deep breath and nodded. "Show me where she is."

'I will not.'

"What? Than how am I supposed to find her?" Yu than saw a new shadow slowly appear in the distance. "Damn, what is that?"

'Your guide to Saki. I will only come out when you need to fight or need to enter this world. Otherwise, I will remain in you.'

"Why?" Yu began to walk towards the shadow in the distance, from which he could hear a strange humming. "Is that... a pop song?

'I have chosen to only help you in those situations. You have not truly shown me that you are worthy of our shared power. Instead you chose to manipulate me with some strange power.'

"I didn't do it on purpose, though I'm happy it worked out this way." Yu stopped when the humming shadow stopped too. Waiting for a response from the voice in his head Yu found nothing. "Not talking, huh?"

"You're talking to me?" came an oddly familiar voice.

"Wait a minute..." Yu walked further towards the shadow, which began to take on a more corporeal form. "Number One Teddie Fighter? Is Teddie you?"

The strange bear thing gasped and ran up to Yu. Wrapping his arms around Yu he began to jump excitedly, "Oh Sensei! I knew you'd come. Now I can finally learn from the master." the strange creature jumped back and began to make martial art poses. "They say when the student is ready, the master will appear! This is so cool!"

"Actually... Teddie right?" Yu watched as the bear nodded its head, smiling widely. "Uh huh... Teddie, I'm told you can take me to someone."

"Huh? Oh, now that you mention I did start to smell something weird earlier." Teddie looked off into the fog and began to sniff. After a few snuffs he nodded and looked back to Yu. "Yep, I can smell someone that way."

"Can you take me there Teddie? There is someone that I believe is in danger here. I was told that you could lead me there."

"Who told you that?" Teddie tilted his head curiously.

Yu grimaced and rubbed the back of his head. "Um, well... myself. I guess."

"Yourself?" Teddie lowered his head and began to fidget. "Your telling me that it was yourself that told you I was the one to lead you to your destination?"

"Yes?"

Teddie let out a loud cheer and began to run around Yu. "I knew it! We're destined to be together! I'll be your aspiring student, you the stern teacher." Teddie bent down and gave an ambitious grin. "Heh, lets go sensei! Our journey begins over wherever this intruder is now!" Teddie than ran off leaving Yu to catch up.

"Wait! Don't go too fast, I can't see in the fog!" Yu slowed down to a halt, having lost sigh of Teddie. "Oh God, your fast..."

"Oh, you can't see?" The bear ran up to Yu and held a hand thoughtfully to its... chin? "Well that won't do at all... oh! I got something that might help!" the bear popped opens its head.

"Ah!" Yu jumped back and watched as the bear reached into its body. As it hummed Yu's shock slowly faded away to a confused indifference. " This kind of explains why you went flying when I hit you."

"Here we are!" Teddie shut his head and handed Yu some glasses. "There you go Sensei."

"Thanks..." Yu looked warily at the glasses and to his surprise saw that looking through the glass made it so he could see no fog. Quickly he put the glasses on and found himself surrounded by gigantic gold statues of men, who were holding globes on their shoulders. Off in the distance he could see a gigantic tower looking down at him. "What is this place? It feels... like I should know it."

Teddie shrugged, "Eh, places like this pop up every now and again. Its nothing to important. Let's get a move on sensei! We got an intruder to catch." Teddie smiled wildly and again took off.

"Hey! I can't run as... whatever." Yu than took off at a run. As Yu followed Teddie he saw the world around the both of them begin to ripple, like when he was dragged into the television. Observing this Yu felt an odd sense of serenity in the chaotic mess that began to swirl around him. Reaching out his hand Yu watched as the light cascaded over it and sunk back with the rest of the light. "This is beautiful."

"We're here!" Teddie shouted. The rippling suddenly stopped and the world changed into the shopping district.

Yu's eyes widened as his hand had some trace amounts of light slipping off into the pavement he was currently standing on. "That was fast."

"Huh? Well duh, once I know where we're headed its a breeze to get there." Teddie grinned and struck a proud pose. "Are you ready to go beat up the intruder sensei?"

"I'm here to save her." Yu gently pushed the bear and walked past him. There was a sudden loud shout and Yu turned back to see Teddie rolling on his back.

"No! Help, I can't get up." Teddie cried loudly and kept rolling around till he got himself back up. "Ah, better." he looked over to Yu and nodded. "Saving is good too. Be careful though." Teddie looked warily down the shopping district towards the alcohol shop. "I sense a lot of shadows around here. Whoever is here must be summoning them with all their pent up emotions."

Yu didn't respond to Teddie. Instead he kept walking forward. As Teddie had said, Yu saw many shadows walking around. They all mumbled something as he passed each of them. Teddie ran back up with him and held onto Yu's arm. "Has anyone else come in here before?"

"Besides you, I don't think so. I always remembered this place as being quiet."

Two women like shadows passed the two and Yu caught what they were saying, "Poor Konishi, his own daughter hurting the family business. What kind of thanks is that to give to your parents?"

"Oh I know. If she was my daughter I'd kick her out, that's what I'd do." the two shadows nodded in agreement and left Yu and Teddie's side.

"Are they coming from Saki?" Yu shook Teddie's arm off his and stopped in front of the alcohol store where he saw a large group of shadows mumbling.

"She's so high and mighty. Bet she thinks she's better than us."

"The spoiled brat, she thinks just cause her family's store isn't doing well that she should join up with the store that's running them out of business?"

"The little skank, I just know she lurks around flirting with the boys at school. Morooka actually caught her making out once and held her after school."

"Well I heard-"

Yu covered his ears and walked towards the store, his brows farrowed. 'Does this really happen to Saki all the time? She seems like such a nice person.' Yu looked back at Teddie who was lingering at the door, where some shadows were congregating. "Well come on."

"Uh, its not that I don't want to help sensei... its just..." one of the shadows accidentally bumped into Teddie and he went falling on his face. "Ah! Sensei help! I'm being attacked!" Groaning Yu lowered his hands and started hearing all the gossiping shadows again. Picking Teddie back up he helped him in the store, and shut the door. Shutting the door however only slightly muffled the voices.

"I bet that's one of her _boyfriends_, like the Hanamura boy. I hear she's been getting together with him late at night."

"You know what I heard I-"

"Shut up!" came a shriek. The voices all suddenly stopped.

Yu and Teddie swerved about and saw Saki, dressed in her school uniform. She was on her knees and holding her head tightly. Yu slowly walked up to her and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Saki-Senpai?"

"None of its true." she shook her head as she started to rub her eyes. "Their all liars! Don't believe any of what those things say." Saki looked up at Yu, her eyes red and puffy. "That thing in the back is the worst of them. She won't shut up."

"What does she look like?" Teddie waddled over to Saki, who gave a confused look. "What's she talk about."

Saki pulled her hair back and sniffed. "Well... just stupid junk. None of it is true." Saki looked down to her knees and tightly grabbed them with her hands. A smile began growing on her face. "This is just a dream, right? I mean, look at this place." Saki waved her arms around the alcohol store. "None of this is real at all." her eyes began to widen. "This must be happening after that cop pushed me into the TV. I'm unconscious now!"

"Wait cop?" Yu got down to his knees and held Saki's face. "What cop?"

"He was blathering about girls not being like they used to be or some BS." Saki pushed Yu's hands away and began to rub her eyes. "He thought that I'd put out for him or some shit... I guess he believed some of those rumors people spread about me."

"Whatever the case may be, we need to find someway out of here." Yu helped Saki to her feet and looked to Teddie. "Do you know how we can get back to our world?"

Teddie smiled. "Oh yeah, let's just head back to where we started and-"

"Oh? New guests?" A distorted version of Saki's voice began to ring throughout the store.

"Oh God, it's her. Don't listen to a thing she says." Saki grabbed Yu's shirt and looked at him tearfully. "Please, don't listen to her."

"Oh, ho, ho, trying to bury it up again are we?" suddenly the corridor that the three were in was bathed in a blinding red and orange light. Yu and Saki buried there faces into each other to shield their eyes. "It's time again for~ The! Dirt! On! Youuuuuuu!" the world around them began to rearrange; the wooden walls turned into alcohol barrels which stacked one on top of the other. The ground became littered with adds for Junes, and a few feet away from the three a counter formed and on it sat another Saki, dressed in the same black and red outfit as Yu saw her in earlier. "Welcome new guests!" Spreading out her arms she gave a wide grin and the three became surrounded by barrels which tightly pressed against them.

Teddie began to squirm about and easily slipped out of his barrel. "Ha! You can't hold us! We're the Teddie and Sensei-" The other Saki rolled her eyes and lowered her hand. A barrel than came crashing down on Teddie, trapping him under it. A weak muffled voice came from the barrel "Ow..." All that Yu and Saki could see of Teddie was his feet.

"Now, lets get started." the other Saki waved her hand about and a mike appeared before her face. Grabbing it she laid provocatively on the table. "Now it seems it didn't stick in your little head, so lets start from the beginning."

"No!" Saki looked over at Yu, her eyes wild. "Please don't listen to a things she says."

"Dear old dad, such a hard working man." other Saki flipped her hair and gave a quick laugh. "He deserves a good cold one every now and again. Too bad every now and again seems to be every night lately." Getting off the counter the other Saki began to walk towards Saki and Yu, her hips swaying about. "And oh, such wonderful father daughter talks we have." An angry face came over the other Saki and her voice became harsh. " How many times does he think 'You're a disgrace to the family' is going to endear me to him any more. The old bastard. Can't wait till he gets to being a real angry drunk, than I could really get back at him." She smiled cruelly and picked up a bottle. "Just come at me once. It'll be all over for him." She threw the bottle to the ground and it shattered.

"Shut it, I'd never do that to him! I love my father." Saki's face became red and she looked about ready to burst a blood vessel.

A sneer came over the other Saki and she flipped her hair into the real Saki's face. "That reminds me. Mother is such a supportive old bitty ain't she? Off talking with those bitches out in front of the shop about how I go about gallivanting over to Junes and screwing the family business over. 'She's the heir to this place, at this rate she'll sell it as soon as we're in the ground. Such a disgrace.' That bitch, like she knows anything about what I want to do with my life. I wish I could just shove some of these bottles straight down her long neck!" The other Saki tossed the microphone to the side and a loud screech hit everyone's ears.

Yu tried to cover his ears, but his hands were pinned too tightly to his side. "Why are you talking like you know Saki?" he shouted as he tried to cover his ears with his shoulders. As soon as he said this he felt a strong hand grab his chin and lift it up.

"Oh, poor naïve little dumb-ass, of course I know what she's feeling." the other Saki looked over to the real one and grinned. "I am her."

"No you're not!" Saki yelled. "You're just some freak who looks like me."

The other Saki frowned and stepped back. "Calling yourself a freak huh? Such a low self esteem." she dramatically placed a hand on her forehead and knelt down. "Why is everyone always so mean to me. What did I do? I need to make money, how else will I pay for college? I wish they'd all, just. Freaking. Die." The other Saki crossed her arms and leered over at the real one. "Isn't that pretty much what we tell ourselves everyday we have to deal with these asses?"

"No! That isn't anything like what I do!"

"Don't provoke it..." came a strained voice. Yu and Saki looked over to a barrel and saw Teddie squeeze his head out. "It's your shadow. It came from you, from all your pent up feelings."

"That things isn't me." Saki yelled and looked back at her mirror image.

"Saki, maybe you should listen to Teddie." Yu looked warily at the other Saki who was looking more and more enraged.

"Listen to them, you and I are the exact same." a cruel smile came over the other Saki's face. "We hate all of these idiots we deal with. We want them all gone, and out our hair!"

"No! You're nothing like me. You're not me!"

The other Saki's smile grew wider, and shadows began to swarm around her. "Not you, no, not anymore." She raised her arms into the air, her mouth growing bigger. "I am me!" Saki's eyes than rolled back into her head, and she became limp.

"Saki-Senpai?!" Yu than felt the barrels coming off of him and watched as they floated towards the other Saki. Yu lunged at the real Saki who began to fall to the ground. Looking back to the other Saki Yu's mouth widened in horror.

Her mouth had grown so big, it had taken over all of her face. She had grown sharp fangs that circled all around her mouth, and a forked tongue came slithering out from the back of her throat. Wild tendrils of hair waved about, still the same color as Saki's. The body was being constructed by the barrels, molding into a jagged looking torso. Bursting from the torso's sides came a pair of skeletal arms which grabbed at the sides of the mouth. Legs popped out at the bottom and looked like bare legs wearing the black and red high heels. She let out a shriek as three more mouths appeared on her body, each popping up on the torso.

"I am a shadow." all four mouths moved at once. "A true self."


	9. Facing Yourself - Saki Konishi

Yu rolled Saki out of the way of a lash of hairs, ending up feeling the absurdly painful force of the follicles at his back. Yu tried to grab at them but instead felt them wrap around his wrists and lift him off the ground. "You don't need to defend this bitch. She's been having this coming for years now." With a jerk, Yu found himself being hurled to the side and crashed onto his side.

"Augg..." Yu held himself around the side and looked off at the big mouthed beast as it grabbed at Saki and began to slam her into the ground. "Saki-Senpai!" Yu reached out his hand and a spark ran through his body. The blue card came from his chest and formed into a shadow that stood in a mirror pose to his. The world around Yu slowed down. At first Yu looked confusedly at the masked shadow but he slowly realized what he should do. "I understand... I think. Thou art I?"

'I art thou.' Yu and the shadow grabbed each others' hands. 'The strength to overcome one's self gives you the power of...'

Again a strange surge went through Yu. A blue light came from his chest and shined upon the shadow who began to transform. "Per...So... Na..." At these words the shadow's darkness blew away to reveal a tall man dressed in something that look vaguely like Yu's school uniform. A mask still cover his face, but there were two holes that revealed two yellow eyes. Thrusting one arm into the air a lightning bolt appeared out of nowhere and a sword formed into his hand. His eyes leered down at Yu 'Oh shit! I think I made a mistake.' Yu backed away from the creature before him; to his shock it leaped away from him and cut the hair that was holding Saki.

Time began to return to normal and Yu's Persona tossed Saki towards him. 'Keep her from harms way. I've work to do.' he brandished his sword and the four mouthed Saki let out an enraged scream.

Yu let out a gasp as he watched Saki fly through the air. She fell right into him and the two fell to the ground. "Be careful, all right!" Yu gently got Saki off himself and looked over at his Persona battle with Saki's other self.

"How dare you! What right do you have to decide what I do to myself?" she inhaled and let loose a horrifying scream. The world began to rumble and Yu quickly dragged the heavily beaten Saki further away from the action.

"Sensei? You really are amazing!" Teddie came running up to Yu who was letting Saki rest on his shoulder as he watched the battle ensue. "You conquered your own shadow as soon as it left you and sent it off to battle this girl's shadow. I just thought I'd learn how to fight from you." Teddie bowed to Yu, who was grimacing at the fight in the distance. "I have so much more to learn from you."

"Why won't you talk back?!" screamed Saki's shadow as some of her hair grabbed the Persona around the throat and thrashed him to the ground. "Say something damn it!" she sent him flying right towards Yu and Saki.

"Shit!" Yu quickly dragged himself and Saki away, but they were too close and ended up getting hit by the Persona's body. "Get off of us!" Yu yelled as he watched Teddie attempting to lift the Persona off.

"He's too heavy!" Teddie cried as his arms began to bend strangely under the Persona's weight.

'Thank God he's made of fabric, otherwise this would look disturbing.' Yu looked away from the grunting Teddie and saw Saki's shadow running towards them screeching out a blast that was destroying the ground around her. "Oh God!" Yu pushed Saki out from under his Persona and followed suit. "Teddie forget about moving him, take Saki away!"

"Right!" to Yu's surprise Teddie was able to slightly drag Saki off, though he was whining the whole time. "Why are all of you so heavy?!"

Yu turned about and held onto his Persona as the screeching shadow hit the two of them again launching them across the room. "Wake up! Before you crash again!" Yu felt his stomach drop as he saw the earth coming closer and closer. To his horror they had gone past Saki and Teddie who were in the direct path of Saki's shadow. Hitting the ground Yu felt something break, and he let out a scream.

"Sensei?" Teddie turned to Yu, and was swiftly struck by the hand of shadow Saki. "Aaah!" Teddie was off flying.

"Its over for you." Saki's shadow raised her hands and began to beat down on the real Saki who began letting out pained sputters.

"Saki-Senpai!" Yu attempted to get up, but fell to the ground again. Grabbing his side he let out a pained yelp. His vision began to waver, though he could still make out what was happening. Looking over to his Persona he rested a hand on him. "Please, if you are me you'll know how important it is to save her." There was silence, save for the beating coming from the shadow. Yu groaned as a piercing pain shot through him. "Please!"

There was a blur of movement and then even the beating was silenced. What Yu could make out was that his Persona had tossed his sword. Following the direction of the toss he saw it struck down into the shadow Saki's opened mouth. She had fallen over and was trying to pull it out, all the while shadows began to seep away from her.

"Se...ei" came a muffled voice. Yu hadn't noticed, but his hearing had gone completely wonky. Groaning he keeled over and held his sides again. Looking over to the voice he saw Teddie holding a bead. He opened Yu's mouth and force fed him it. "Sensei are you all right now?"

Yu turned onto his stomach and began to gag. "Did you just feed me a bead?!" Yu than stopped his yelling. Looking down at his body he felt none of the pain he had been feeling earlier. Instead of questioning it he looked over at Saki who had her shadow self laying near her, looking normal again. Or as normal as an almost perfect doppelganger can be. Setting off at a run Yu got to Saki's side. When he got closer he saw that her face was covered in blood. "No, no, no, no." Yu felt her neck and sensed a slight pulse in it. "Teddie do you have anything that can help her?"

While Teddie began rummaging through his body, Yu's Persona lumbered by and picked back up his sword, which was laying on top of Saki's shadow. 'The task is complete.' He began to change into a shadow with a blue mask and shrunk back down to Yu's shape.

"Wait, before you turn into a card again." Yu reached out to his shadow who smacked his hand away. Sighing Yu looked over at Teddie who had produced some seeds from in his dark insides. "Thank you for helping us."

'Thank whoever gave you this strange power.' the shadow pointed to the mask and turned into a card again. It swiftly returned to Yu's chest. Quietly Yu held his chest and lowered his head.

Teddie opened Saki's mouth and popped a few seeds into her mouth. Giving out a gasp she bolted up, her face still filled with cuts and bruises. As soon as Saki had gotten up her shadow did too. "No, not you." Saki began to crawl away from her shadow, who was glaring hatefully at her.

"No Miss Saki..." Teddie grabbed her arm. "You can't keep denying it. She came from you..."

"That thing isn't-"

"It's all right Saki." Yu looked away from his chest and turned to Saki. "We all hold back resentment in us. We often find ourselves wishing to do horrific things to other people." Yu walked over to her and grabbed her hands. "I understand that you don't want others to know about these feelings. You don't even want to accept them as part of you. But they are part of you." Turning his head to the shadow Saki he pointed at her. "You let your feelings become bottled up to the point you'll start hurting yourself over it. Saki... it isn't pretty, but no one is entirely pristine. Accepting it doesn't mean your condoning it. Accepting this is the first step to conquering it."

Saki looked over at the shadow, her eyes beginning to water. "I..." looking down to her legs she began to cry profusely. "I really do have days where I wish I could just hurt them back. Tell them off, even kill them." Saki slipped her hands away from Yu and got to her feet. "I know that those feelings are horrible, so I've tried to ignore them. But they keep popping up in me, and I keep lingering on them." Rubbing her eyes she shook her head. "I... know this is horrible, it makes me a kind of monster doesn't it?" kneeling down she grabbed her shadow's hands. "I hate this part of me, but... it is a part of me. You're a part of me. Denying you will only make it worse."

Saki's shadow smiled, for the first time without her aura of hate. "It takes a strong heart to accept the darker parts of yourself doesn't it?"

Saki nodded her head and wiped her eyes again. "Yeah."

Standing up the shadow pulled her hair back. " I am thou, thou art I. The strength to accept one's self gives you the power to control one's self." A blue light began to radiate between the two Saki's and Yu watched in amazement as the Shadow Saki transformed into a tall woman clothed in an empress' regalia. The cloth looked similar to the clothes that the shadow had been wearing just moments before. Her face was covered with a black mask, yet two blue shining eyes could be seen through it. A helmet in the shape of an open mouth covered her head; teeth shaped like sharp fangs protruded from the lips. At her waist was a basket of arrows, around her shoulder was the bow, and in her hand was a long katana. "I am Jingu, call upon me whenever you have need of my aid." She turned into pure light and entered into Saki's chest.

Cupping her hands around her chest Saki smiled weakly and fell to her knees. "Thank you..." she looked back at Yu, bags still under her eyes. "I feel lighter, somehow." Saki's smile began to fade as she raised a hand to the side of her head. "This is all real, isn't it?"

Teddie walked over to her side and nodded. "Yep, that's an astute assessment." Teddie looked to Yu and struck a heroic pose. " We did it! We saved the day!"

Yu gave a soft laugh and walked over to Teddie. Bending down he hugged the bear lightly. "Thank you Teddie, if it wasn't for you... we'd both be dead."

"We all worked together sensei!" Teddie grinned widely and looked over to Saki. "So, how'd you get in here again?"

Saki was still looking rather gloomy, and was beginning to rub the back of her head. "I went in to talk with a cop about what happened the other day, and about anything else that may have happened to me... I don't know what happened but as the conversation went on he started looking at me weirdly." Saki's face contorted, "He tried to put a move on me, but when I told him off he got mad. Saying how he saw me that day with some guy earlier and giving that guy special treatment. I have no idea what he was talking about, the only person I'd met with that day was a reporter and some guy at the park."

"Saki, who was this cop?" Yu knelt next to her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

"I think his name was Adachi. All I remember is that he pushed me into the TV and than everything went wonky." Saki began to smile. "I don't know what is going on, but thank you both." Saki kissed Yu on the cheek, and than did the same to Teddie.

Teddie began to blush, somehow, and started to fidget. "Oh, hoo, hoo... uh... thanks miss Saki..."

"Hey Teddie, can you get us back to our world now?" Yu helped Saki to her feet and the two began to walk away from the distorted shopping district.

"Oh sure, I can let you back where you started." Teddie than began to run off, but Saki grabbed his arm. "Huh? Oh miss Saki," Teddie began to blush again, a goofy grin came over his face. "what do you need from little ol' me?"

"Where did Yu-chan start from in our world?"

Yu blushed and averted his face from Saki. 'Y-Yu-chan?' Looking down to his hands he began to fiddle about with them.

"I think sensei would have a better time explaining that. Where in your world were you, before coming here sensei?"

"I was in my room, around midnight." Yu kept his face averted and began to rub the back of his head. 'Stop acting like a child. She just called me Yu-chan.' Taking a deep breath he looked back to Saki, who was frowning. "What's the matter?"

"If its okay with you I'd rather not show up in a boy's room. Is there anywhere else that you can let me off?"

When Saki looked down to Teddie he gave her a flashing grin and again struck his heroic pose.

"No worries! Teddie is at your service." Teddie than turned about and thrusted his hand's forward. Suddenly a pile of televisions came falling down from the sky and they all turned on at once. Motioning towards it he grinned at Saki. "Just look through and see if its somewhere you'd like to get off at." Yu and Saki walked over to the TV's. At first neither knew what to do, till Teddie started motioning his head at the screens. "Head. Through. TV."

"Sorry..." Saki grimaced and did as was told, Yu followed suit. Peaking their heads out they found themselves staring into a little living room. "Um... should I actually get off here?"

"I can go in with you, and when you leave the house here I can lock the door behind you." Yu looked back to Teddie who was intently listening to the conversation. " I'll need you to stay here, I don't want to have to travel all the way back to Dojima's and knock on his door like a lunatic."

Teddie stood at attention and saluted Yu. "Right sensei, I'll stay here till you return!"

As carefully as the two could muster they crawled out of the TV and began to survey the dark room; no sign of life seemed to stir. Without a noise the two left the living room and entered into a short hallway. All the doors in it were securely shut, and the sound of soft snoring could be heard.

Walking into a room filled with fabric Saki gave a soft gasp. "This is the textile shop. We're really close to my home." Looking over at the front of the room the two saw a large glass window with the reverse of the words Tatsumi Textile painted onto it. Saki opened the door and a heavy fog began to spill into the room. "Thank you again, so much." Saki didn't look back, but a hand reached to Yu's and gave it a tight squeeze. "When I can, I'll come see you again." Carefully she passed through the door and limped off into the fog.

Locking the door to the Textile shop Yu watched warily as Saki slowly disappeared into the fog. "I hope she gets back safe." Letting his hand slip from the door Yu headed back the way he came. He froze however when he saw one of the hall room doors' were open. There was a flush from one of the door and Yu quietly stepped back into the fabric room.

The sound of door creaking open touched Yu's ears, and was quickly followed by some guy mumbling something. After the sound of another door opening and closing Yu peaked into the hall and to his horror he saw the blond leaning against one of the hall room doors.

Swiftly Yu hid back in the fabric room and laid his back on the wall. 'He's ripped!' Yu bit his lower lip and looked over at the entrance of the room. 'He could snap me in two if he catches me.' Yu than stopped his panicking when he heard a door close.

Carefully he looked into the hall way and saw not a soul in it. Quietly he walked down the hall, but before he entered back into the living room a temptation began to spark in him. Looking over at the room that the blond was looking at, Yu began to walk over to it. 'No! Don't be stupid!' he quickly stopped himself and turned about face. 'Enough tempting fate, gotta go now!'

"Sensei!" Teddie jumped onto Yu after he returned and cried. "We gotta move now!"

"What's wrong Tedd..." Yu's eyes widened when he looked off in the distance and saw a gigantic writhing mass of flesh crawling towards him and Teddie. Hundreds of arms and faces kept boiling to the top of it, but began to sink back in to be replaced by new one's "What the hell is that?!"

"It's the shadows all mixing together. They go crazy when the fog lifts here. It just up and happened after you left. Move! Move! Move!" Teddie grabbed Yu's hand and the two began to run away from the mass of madness that was swarming all over the distorted shopping districts. Eyes began to pop out from the windows' of the shops, each of them blinking madly as Yu and Teddie ran by them. The ground suddenly began to shift and the two were shot into the air. "Sensei!" Teddie went flying and Yu fell on top of one of the roofs.

"Teddie, where'd you go?!" Yu got back up, ignoring his aching body. "Teddie?!" Looking over the edge of the building Yu was bombarded by a swarm made of eyeballs which sent him back onto his back. "Someone help!" Yu curled into a defensive ball as he was bombarded by the eyes, and was soon met with the writhing mass which oozed over towards him. "Please help me!" Yu called to his chest, and a flash of blue light came forth and his shadow quickly transformed into its Persona form.

Raising his hand he created his sword and sliced at the masses which kept trying to bubble over him. 'Find Teddie! I'll try to keep them off of you!'

Yu nodded and began to run down to the other side of the roof where he found nothing to take him down safely. "Shit!" Yu looked back at the mass of flesh and saw it was overpowering his Persona. "Get back, their too much for you!"

'Maybe you're right...' the Persona flew back and looked at Yu. 'New plan.' he grabbed Yu and sat him on his shoulders. 'Hold on as best you can!' the two leaped off the building and the Persona made a dash around the alleyway entering back into the street. Parts of the street kept shooting into the air, but the Persona was able to easily maneuver over it. The mass of flesh turned about and began to make a mad dash toward the two escapees easily traversing the messed up street.

"Sensei!" up on the roofs Yu and his Persona saw Teddie running and trying to catch back up with them. "Follow me! I know the way back to where we met!" Teddie jumped off the roofs and landed next to Yu and his Persona. The three dashed away as the masses of flesh began to shriek and speed up.

As the world began to change around them Yu looked back to see the masses of flesh keeping up with them. "Teddie?!"

"I know! Just ignore them!" Teddie sounded frantic as he began to trip over his own feet. "Argh!" The Persona picked Teddie up and the world around them began to alter back into the land filled with large statues of men with globes. Teddie thrusted his hands forward and the television appeared off in the distance. "Good luck sensei!" Teddie jumped off and disappeared from Yu's sight.

'Ready yourself, I'm going to fling you in!' the Persona began to coil his arms back.

"Wait what?!" Yu than felt himself being launched at a high speed. His Persona turned back into a card and entered back into his chest. "Oh Goooood!" Yu went right through the TV's and landed face first into the couch that sat by the window in his room. Collapsing down Yu gave a pained cry and held his neck. "That's gonna give me whiplash..."


	10. Aftermath of the First Night

**Note: Adachi may end up being found out, at least for assaulting Saki, but this by no means is going to cut our heros' story short. I have some plans for Mr. Tohru Adachi.**

Rain came pelting down on Yu's umbrella as he stood by the alcohol store; Nanako was standing close by tapping her foot. Looking down at his feet Yu began to bounce on his heels, lower lip being bitten. 'So... should I just knock?' Yu made a small motion towards the door but stepped away. 'She was still beat up when she came back here... I'm sure she's really busy right now with the police too.' Yu looked down the shopping district and sighed. 'Guessing that's why Dojima left that note for Nanako and me...' Yu looked back down to his feet and began to walk down the street. 'I guess it doesn't really matter right now.' Nanako remained where the two had been standing for the last five minutes, a baffled look coming over her face.

″What was that all about?″ she ran up to Yu and looked into his sullen face. ″You know someone there?″

″Yeah.″ Yu looked over at the Textile shop and saw the blond again listlessly looking out the window. Yu began to raise his hand to wave but lowered it down when the blond made eye contact with him. Yu quickly looked away, his body beginning to feel flushed. Closing his eyes he groaned and began to rub his neck. ″Damn, I really hope this goes away...″

Nanako sighed and looked straight ahead, remaining silent.

Looking down to his cousin Yu felt a pang of guilt. ″I'm sorry Nanako.″

″Huh?″ Nanako looked up at Yu nonchalantly. ″For what?″

Hanging his head Yu tightened his grip on his handbag. ″I've been ignoring you a lot, and acting like an absolute bother to you.″ Yu looked out of the corner of his eye and saw the androgynous gas station attendant the he met on his first day in Inaba. His mind drifted from what he was saying and he became focused on the attendant. She or he was just leaning on a gas pump, smiling and waving.

Nanako rested a hand on Yu's leg. ″It's okay, it doesn't really hurt my feelings much.″ Nanako sighed and looked up at Yu. ″As long as you don't do anything really weird, like waiting outside of a shop for no reason, I'll be fine.″

″My, was that a hint of passive aggression Nanako?″ Yu smirked and rested a hand on her head.

″That depends, what's passive aggression?″ Yu began to laugh profusely to which Nanako responded with a glare. ″Did you just make fun of me?″

″No, just a little lighthearted teasing.″ Yu began to wipe a tear away from his eye, ″Let's just say your really good at getting across when your upset."

Nanako grew red and stopped her walking. ″I'm not upset!″

Looking back at Nanako, Yu flushed. 'I didn't want to tick her off like that.' Yu smiled reassuringly and walked up to her. ″I'm sorry Nanako, I keep saying the wrong things. But are you sure you aren't a little upset?″

Looking down to her shoes Nanako began to pout. ″Let's just get to school.″

'Way to go you dumb ass.' Yu sighed and watched Nanako pass him by. Running a hand through his hair he took a deep breath and continued on walking Nanako to her school.

Yu had remained silent throughout most of the school day, neither Chie or Yosuke tried to lean over to him to discuss what they saw on the TV last night. 'Its for the best...' Yu rested his chin in his palm and stared, mystified, at his history teacher. 'We'd probably want to find somewhere less crowded to talk. That is if we saw the same thing last... Okay, is she actually allowed to wear that in class?' Kimiko Sofue, the history teacher, wore on her head an Egyptian crown and in her hands were a pair of scepters. Sighing Yu sunk into his seat and looked over at Chie. Glancing up she caught a short glimpse of Yu but looked back down into her notebook.

″Narukami, you seem to be a little disinterested in the current subject matter.″ Miss Sofue crossed her arms and obtained the appearance of a sarcophagus. A mischievous smile came over her face as all the other students in class switched their attention to him.

Blushing Yu began to sink further into his seat. ″It's not that Sofue-sensei.″

″Very good,″ her arms relaxed and they went to her sides. ″ than perhaps I can ask you a little question.″

Yu's eyes widened. 'Shit! I wasn't paying attention at all! I'm dead, I'm dead!'

″When did A.D. start?″ Miss Sofue raised one of her scepters and pointed them at Yu.

″Seriously?″ Yu felt his terror melt away.

″Would you rather I pick a different question?″ Sofue bent down and looked through some of her notes. ″Here's a nice one...″

″Ack, wait no. It's fine.″

Sofue bent over and began laughing. ″Narukami, I'm only teasing. I'm not going to give anything real difficult in the first week of class.″ Yu began to smile as Miss Sofue gave him a wink. ″Relax.″

″Okay... A.D. started at the birth of Jesus the Christ.″

″Very good Narukami, you can go back to whatever you were doing.″ Miss Sofue began to pace in front of the class and continued on her lecture.

After the last class of the day Yu looked behind himself to see a very silent Yosuke. Yu reached over at tapped Yosuke on the shoulder. ″Do you want to find somewhere we can talk in private?″

″Yeah... I think that'd be a good idea.″ Yosuke groaned and lowered his head. ″Damn...″

As Yosuke raised his head up again Yukiko quickly walked by without saying a word to anyone. ″Yukiko...″ Chie frowned and dishearteningly looked down at her notebook. ″They're running her ragged up there.″ Grabbing her face she groaned and slammed her head into the desk.

″Where do you guys want to talk?″ Yu carefully got out of his seat and slung his handbag over his shoulder.

″The roof is a good place.″ Chie said with a muffled voice. Lethargically she pointed up towards the ceiling. ″It's a good place to go and talk.″

When they got up to the roof they all sat quietly by some ventilation units; their gazes pointed downwards. ″So... that was something.″ Yosuke gave a weak laugh and began to rub the back of his head.

Chie whistled and looked up to the sky. ″Yep... something.″

Yu sighed and began to rub his aching neck. ″Yeah, something...″

″I didn't know that my soul mate would be a girl...″ Chie shook her head and crossed her arms. ″I really didn't see _her_ coming as my soul mate.″

″Who'd you see?″ Yosuke looked warily at Chie.

″Uh...″ Chie blushed and looked away from Yosuke. ″I... it was someone we know. What about you? Who'd you see?″ Chie smiled and placed an arm around Yosuke's shoulder. ″Looks like it wasn't who you were expecting.″

″Your half right...″ Yosuke grimaced and shook his head. ″Whatever, I'm not saying who it is yet. You talk first.″ Yosuke looked back to Chie who looked mortified.

″Me? You wouldn't want to know who I saw.″ Chie's eyes began to dart about. ″What about you?″ Chie settled her gaze over on Yu and gave a forced smile. ″Bet you saw someone interesting.″

Yu stuck his tongue in his cheek and looked over at his two acquaintances. 'Should I tell them out right?' Yu looked down and sighed. ″I saw Saki-Senpai.″

As soon as he said this Yosuke's face flushed as did Chie's. ″What?!″ they both shouted. Looking to each other their eyes widened. ″Wait, you?″ they repeated each other again.

″How can we all have the same soul mate?″ Chie cried as she grabbed her face. ″Is that even possible?″

″What the hell is going on here?″ Yosuke cried and got to his feet. ″This is just weird! Saki was on some weird TV show or whatever, and than nothing!″

″She...″ Yu stopped and shook his head. ″Guys, I need you to listen, and promise that you aren't going to start spreading this around.″

″What are you talking about Yu-kun?″ Chie calmed down and looked over at Yu. ″Did you see something else?″

Yu groaned and began to rub his neck.″Here goes.″ Yu than took a deep breath, ″What you saw was a shadow of Saki, a personification of parts of herself she wants to deny. I got dragged into the TV by my own shadow who told me that I had to save her. I met a weird bear mascot thing named Teddie who had no one inside of him. He gave me glasses so I could see in the fog and I ran off with him to find Saki being confronted by her shadow. My shadow fought Saki's and saved her from being beaten to death. It sounds like a cop had pushed her into the TV world. Teddie dropped her off so she could get home, and I went with her because we ended up in someone else's house. I locked the door went back to the TV world and was confronted with what happens when the fog lifts in that world. My shadow... or Persona... or me... whatever. He and I had to run away from a giant writhing pile of flesh and he picked up Teddie who made TV's fall from the sky. My shadow thing tossed me at the TVs and I was sent back into my room. And after that I ended up getting a bad neck ache which I am _really_ hoping won't turn out being a bit of whiplash.″

Yosuke and Chie looked at Yu with their mouths dropped, a disbelieving stare penetrated right into Yu as they stared at him..

″Okay... now you're making me feel like a crazy person.″ Yu groaned and grabbed his face. ″Guys! It's the truth! You can ask Saki, if she's available that is.″

″What do you mean _if_ she's available?″ Yosuke angrily grabbed at Yu's collar.

Yu felt a bolt of adrenaline run through him, and he quickly smacked Yosuke's hands away ″I assume she's talking with the police over at the situation, with some modifications to her story I'm hoping. She'll probably be stuck with them for a while.″ Yu looked over his shoulder at the school grounds. Frowning Yu tightly grabbed at his handbag. ″I think I'll be going home now.″

″Yu-kun wait!″ Chie reached out to him, but he had already dashed off. Glaring over at Yosuke, Chie smacked him in the chest. ″Idiot!″

″I know...″ Yosuke groaned and took off running. ″Yu, wait up!″

Hiding in the first story bathroom Yu sat on a toilet seat and took his navy journal out. Before he started writing he heard a knock at his stall. ″Yu? Are you in there?″ Yu lowered his shoulders and looked warily at his journal. ″Man where'd he go...″

″I'm in here.″ Yu said solemnly shutting his journal. ″Sorry for running off. I know you care a lot for Saki. You were just freaking out at the thought of something bad having happened to her.″ Sighing Yu covered his face. ″I just get a little jumpy...″ Yu got off the toilet and walked up to the stall door.

″I really could have taken it better though. Didn't mean to freak you out.″ Yosuke leaned on the stall and sighed. ″Listen, come on out. I think we should talk a little more about this.″

Yu groaned but opened up the stall. "I'm not crazy."

"Maybe, maybe not. I want to see some proof." Yosuke crossed his arms and gave Yu a serious glare.

"Was the woman on the television, that was off, at midnight, who somehow appeared in front of her family's alcohol store, with weird lighting, a title drop, and camera clarity that suggest an experienced camera crew not enough proof for you that something weird is going on?!" There was a flush nearby and Yu and Yosuke slowly looked over to the side to see the stall at the end of the row open up. Yu slowly walked back into his stall and shut the door.

Yosuke glared over at the now shut door than back at the guy exiting the now opening stall, "Hey Kou, so... how much of that did you hear?"

The dark haired teen just glanced up at Yosuke and raised his hands. "Listen, I'm just gonna wash my hands and you two can get back to whatever freaky topic you were discussing." Kou walked slowly over to the sink and quietly washed his hands. After finishing he shook the water off and went to the door. Turning about he gave Youske a bow. "You may continue."

Rolling his eyes Yosuke knocked on the stall door. "You can get out now."

Yu opened the door and looked embarrassed as he stared at Yosuke. "Sorry about that..."

"Whatever, let's just go meet up with Chie before anyone else over hears us discussing a TV world with writhing flesh, and weird versions of a girl I have a crush on." There was another flush and Yosuke gave Yu a sardonic glare, than quickly hid away into the stall.

"Hey!" Yu tried to open the door but Yosuke had already sealed it.

"Your turn to deal with this." Yosuke softly hissed.

Looking over to the now opening middle stall Yu blushed when he saw a tall muscular brown haired guy get out. "Uh... uh..." Yu became frozen in place, his entire body becoming rigid.

The guy stopped and looked over at Yu. "Why are you blushing? Did I forget to zip up my fly?" the guy looked down and double checked his pants.

Yu began to turn towards the bathroom stall Yosuke was held up in when the guy zipped up his pants. 'It really wasn't zipped?' Yu looked shyly back to the guy before him and tried to form something to say. "It... isn't your pants..."

"Huh?" the guy looked up at Yu and began to rub the back of his head. "What are you blushing over then?"

Yu looked at the stall than back to the guy before him. "You... didn't hear anything we were talking about?"

"Hear what?"

Smiling Yu laid his back on the stall and slid down. "Thank God..."

"You're kind of a weird one aren't you." the guy turned about and began leaving the bathroom. "Well see you around."

After he had left Yu gave a relieved sigh but was swiftly taken out of the moment when he felt the door opening behind him. Yu scrambled to his feet and watched as Yosuke came out with an amused grin on his face. "Let's just go meet up with Chie." Yu turned to the bathroom door and quickly exited.

"Let me just say, You handled that beautifully." Yosuke grabbed at his mouth and began to snicker.

Yu felt an eye twitch as he stiffened his arms. 'Do not bean him with handbag... do not bean him with handbag...' Leaving the bathroom Yu saw Chie leaning on a wall directly across from him. "Hey..." Yu looked down and relaxed himself. "So, lets find somewhere more private for us to discuss this matter further."

"Sounds good, let's head to your place. That's where it all went down right?"

Yu nodded and began to walk off with Chie. "So, what do you think this Midnight channel thing is?"

"I would have thought you had a better idea about that. You were the one that entered into the TV world... where's Yosuke?" the two stopped and looked back to the bathroom.

After a few moments they heard a flush and a few moments later they saw Yosuke exiting. The two quietly looked at Yosuke who was wiping his hands on the side of his pants. "What? I've been holding that in all day. It just occurred to me that being in the bathroom was a good chance to-"

"Moving on." Chie turned about face and began to walk off. "We're heading over to Yu's house so we can continue the discussion about last night."

Umbrella's out the three walked on down the shopping district when Yu stopped to look at the gas station attendant. The attendant was leaning on the gas pump again, as if she or he had not moved from the spot the entire time Yu had been to school. Both Chie and Yosuke looked at each other confusedly than back to Yu. 'There is definitely something fishy about this guy...' Yu began to stare intently at the attendant who just smiled and waved at him.

"Is this a thing with you? Staring at gas stations?" Yosuke leaned up next to Yu and patted his shoulder.

Yu gave a weak smile and turned to Yosuke,"Huh? Oh, sorry." Yu looked back at the attendant who gave him a bow. "Do either of you know that... guy?"

Yosuke looked over at the attendant and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't spend a lot of time at the gas station so I wouldn't know."

"I think he's been working there for a few years now." Chie thoughtfully lifted a finger to her chin. "Not sure of much else, though he always comes out when it rains. Weird huh?"

Yu began to nod, "So... its a boy..."

"Huh? Actually..." Chie began to squint as she now joined Yu in his staring. "Is it a boy?"

Chie and Yu began to leer over at the attendant who just continued to smile over at them. Yosuke groaned and walked straight over to them. "Hey, are you a chick or a dude?"

Yu's mouth dropped and Chie's face reddened,"Yosuke!"

Yosuke looked over at the two and gave a short laugh. "Please, like your leering wasn't rude." Yosuke looked back to the attendant. "So which is it?"

"I like to think that I relate to both genders." the attendant continued giving his or her smile, not changing one bit.

"Uh... right... but for the sake of clarity, what would you want us to refer to you as?" Yosuke began to rub his neck as his tone began to become less certain.

"Whatever you feel comfortable with." The attendant than gently patted Yosuke's shoulder. "I'm sure you three have something planned. Run along, don't want to wait too long now."

"Right..." Yosuke walked back to Yu and Chie, and the three began to walk down the shopping district. "I am so much more confused than I was. Thanks Yu, I really needed to add this to the questions that flood my mind."

"Sorry about that..." Yu grimaced and lowered his head to the watery street before him. "I'm also sorry that I am probably going to make your day even more surreal pretty soon."

At the Dojima residence Yu closed up his umbrella and shook it out before entering into his home, the two following him did the same. "Nanako, I brought some people over today. Is that all right?" Over in the living room Yu caught sight of his cousin staring at the television set, some cartoon was playing on it. After waiting a few seconds for a response he put his umbrella in its rack and came in further. "Nanako?"

"Hmm?" Nanako looked over at Yu than at the two people behind him. "Oh hi, don't forget to wipe your feet before coming in. I just mopped the floor."

"You mopped?" Yu wiggled out of his coat and hung it up. Chie and Yosuke quietly gave each other a glance before wiping there feet on the mat.

"Yeah, I accidentally got some mud in the house so I had to clean it up." Nanako looked back to the TV and became silent.

"Nanako?" Yu came over to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Nanako looked up at Yu curiously. "Weren't you gonna do something with your friends?"

Yu nodded solemnly and headed up to his room. "So, here is where it all happened. Just last night. In here..." Yu sighed and sat down on the table that stood in front of the TV. "I would like to request that neither of you freak out. I don't want Nanako running in here to see what the screaming is about."

"Dude, I'm not gonna scream." Yosuke crossed his arms and glared over at Yu. "Just stick it in and get it over with."

Yu became silent.

"What?" Yosuke looked over at Chie who was smirking. "What?!"

"Nothing, nothing Yosuke." Chie held her mouth as some chuckles ushered forth. "Just... hurry up Yu, before Yosuke says something else riddled with innuendos."

Yosuke thought about this for a second than scoffed. "Oh come on! You know what I meant."

"Doesn't take away the hilarity of what you said." Chie had calmed down and sat next to Yu who was staring over at the television. Resting a hand on Yu, Chie gave him a thumbs up. "We're ready, blow our minds away."

Yu nodded and slowly walked over to the television. Gently he pressed his hands on the television and for a moment nothing happened. Before anyone could respond however, the hand suddenly sunk right through and the television screen began to pulsate like ripples in a pool. Looking over his shoulder he smiled at seeing the awestruck faces of Chie and Yosuke.

"You weren't making it up at all... damn." Chie held the sides of her head and let out a muffled scream through grated teeth. "This is crazy! First the midnight channel! Now you're putting your hand through the TV? This has to be a trick." As Chie came over and started feeling the television screen, Yosuke stood by with his eyes wide and his mouth sealed shut. "Wow, I can actually feel it rippl- Aaah!" Chie's hands sunk into the TV leading to her freaking out and falling backwards. Hitting her head on the table she let out a curse and began to rub the back of her head.

Yosuke quickly grabbed at the door and ran off. Startled, Yu looked over at the now open door "Yosuke?" Taking his handout of the TV he ran past Chie as she started getting back to her feet. "Yosuke what are you doing?"

"I need to check on Saki-Senpai!" Yosuke swerved about on the stairs and disappeared from Yu's line of sight.

Grimacing Yu began to hurry down the stairs after Yosuke, Chie following right behind him. Grumbling Chie rubbed her head, "Yeah, I'm okay thanks for asking." reaching out her hand she stopped Yu. "Listen, I think Yosuke will need to do this by himself. It's pretty personal to him."

Yu grabbed his face and sat down on the stairs. "You don't think he'll do anything stupid do you?"

Chie sat next to Yu and shrugged. "What do you think he'll do? Tell every person he sees about how people can enter into a world that is inside of the TV? Nah, Yosuke's can be a real bone head but he does have _some_ commonsense." Chie sighed and leaned back.

"I still think we should go with him... just so we can see Saki too." Yu ran a hand through his hair and groaned. "Do you think I should have told you guys about this?"

Chie tilted her head and pouted. "Honestly I don't know." Grabbing her head Chie began to shake it. "This is a lot to take in... is it okay with you if I just go home for now?"

Yu looked into Chie's eyes and found himself nodding. "Okay, is there some time you want to talk more about this?"

"Maybe, we'll see tomorrow." Chie again sighed and shook her head. "This has just been an amazing week so far, hasn't it?"

"Yeah..." Yu looked down to his feet as he listened to Chie leave. After the front door opened and closed Yu sprawled out on the step he was on and shut his eyes. A little bit later Yu heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. Opening his eyes he saw Nanako looking down at him.

"You okay? Your friends all left." Nanako sat down on the step in front of Yu and than lay down on it.

Yu chuckled as he looked at Nanako peering up at him on the lower step. "Yeah, its fine." Reaching over he draped an arm around her. "Thanks for checking on me Nanako. It's much appreciated."


	11. Reporting the News

″In the sleepy town of Inaba the bizarre death of reporter Ms. Mayumi Yamano has sent police forces scrambling about in their investigation. Recent developments however have shown that this case is becoming more convoluted as the high school student who discovered Ms. Yamano's body was assaulted and possibly molested by one of the police's own people. A man by the name of Tohru Adachi had met up with this high schooler to discuss some further Intel on the case, but during their talk Tohru Adachi began to make advances towards the student. When she rejected him, he grew violent and knocked her out. It was the middle of the night when she awoke to find her body covered in cuts and bruises. Disoriented the high schooler made her way through the foggy streets and arrived home. Adachi has been incarcerated and is currently waiting for his trial on this case. The police have made no comment on the events, nor how it happened that none of them were aware of Adachi's actions.″

″Turn that off.″Dojima scowled as he leaned down to eat more of his dinner.

Right as Nanako reached for the remote the news anchor began to talk about events at the Amagi inn. Catching Yu's attention, he instantly snatched at the remote.

″Hey!″ Nanako glared at her cousin, but Yu was too focused on the news story to pay attention.

″Yu? What are you doing?″ Dojima looked up, his countenance not improved.

″Yukiko works at that inn.″ Yu placed the remote in his lap and didn't turn to look at Dojima. "She's been a really stressed lately. I want to see if this could be why." Dojima sighed and sat back into his seat, Nanako sighing slouching over.

″Due to recent events Kyoko Amagi, the manager of the same named Amagi inn, has taken ill and has stepped down for the time being. Her daughter, sixteen-year-old Yukiko Amagi, has gone on to take over the family business making her currently one of the youngest inn managers we have ever seen.″

Yu leaned forward as he saw Yukiko appear on the screen writing something down in a book. Looking up her face flushed. ″Oh! I'm sorry... my mother is still not feeling well enough to interview with-″

″Oh, Ms. Amagi, we're here to interview with you.″ The voice of the reporter from the other day rang in Yu's ear causing him to quiver in disgust.

″Me?″ Yukiko's face grew almost as pink as her kimono. ″I, I don't...″

″Is it really true your acting as the new manager? And your only in high school?″ The mike came into Yukiko's personal space, making her back away.

″O-only temporarily.″

″Even so, you will end up running the family inn someday, wow. That's just amazing! And that kimono, gorgeous! You must get a lot of male visitors.″ The reporter gave Yukiko a wink and proceded to go further off the topic. Yukiko seemed to grow smaller and smaller as the Reporter continued to bombard her with personal questions.

Quickly Yu brought the remote up and clicked the TV off. Yu's face began to burn red and his hands began to grip the remote. ″That jackass...″

Everyone at the table had grown silent, and remained as such for an awkward amount of time. Taking a breath Dojima broke the silence. ″I'm... gonna start the dishes...″ Dojima got up and lumbered away, leaving Nanako's mouth agape.

″But, I thought that was my job?″ running after her father she grabbed onto his pants leg.

″I need to do something... I feel so useless right now.″ Dojima grabbed his face and growled. ″Damn it! Things just had to get more complicated, didn't they?″

Looking back over at the TV, Yu solemnly shrugged and got up. ″I'm going to call mom.″

Dojima's face went pale and turned to see Yu walk towards the stairs. ″Your not gonna tell her about the murder and assault are you?″

″Better let her know now, you know she'll be pissed if we keep it from her.″ Yu looked over at a dejected Dojima who was turning the faucet on; Nanako was pulling a chair over to the dish rack with a towel in her hands.

Dojima groaned and slumped his shoulders. ″I guess that's right... just... just let her know I haven't let anything bad happen to you.″

Yu nodded. ″Sure thing Dojima-san.″ Walking up the stairs Yu let out an exasperated breath and grabbed his face. 'The real question is if I should talk to her about the TV world.'

Entering into his room he walked over to his closet and took out a laptop which he turned on. Sitting on the couch, Yu crossed his legs and went over to Google translate. While typing up a conversation, and translating it to English than German, Yu took out his cell phone and began to dial his mother's cell. Lifting the phone to his ear he took a deep breath. ″Okay, let's see if this can break the ice...″

After a few rings Yu heard the phone click. ″Yu?″

Looking down to his translated conversation Yu cleared his throat. ″Da es sich um eine Mutter Guten Abend , ist es , wie für Sie deutsch? Es hat all das Denken hier in Inaba werden alles in Ordnung. Der Reporter namens Yamano Mayumi , aber es war ein seltsamer Mord entdeckt wurde, hängen von der Antenne. Darüber hinaus , am nächsten Tag , Schülerinnen und Schüler in den Fall verwickelt wurden von der Polizei angegriffen worden , aber sie überlebt , ich sicher, dass sie überlebt und machte es zu dem Haus irgendwie in der Tat gemacht ... Sie können Sie in der Mitte der Nacht war sie auf meinem TV angezeigt sehen können, konnte ich es sehen. Es ist das, war die Personifizierung der negativen Aspekte von ihr alles, was Sie gewählt haben, um das Mädchen zu spiegeln, ist sie wirklich , die Wahrheit zu leugnen. Im Schatten meiner eigenen , brach die Schatten ihrer war ich versucht , sie zu töten , diese verwandelte sich in persona . Nach dem Speichern sie, gehe ich zurück , sie konnte nach Hause zu gehen , und in die reale Welt gebracht. Oh, ich war in der Lage werde ich die Perlen , mich zu versorgen, dank ihrer Bärenkrafteine Art von ihr versorgen zu speichern. Hörte legitimes Recht?″

″...″

″Hallo, mutter?″

″You used Google translate didn't you?″ her tone was flat.

Smirking, Yu slowly shut the laptop. ″Nicht...″

″Yu, that made no sense. At all! Did you put it through multiple languages or something? I couldn't make any sense of it.″ she than sighed. ″Just because I speak German, doesn't mean I expect you to sweety... now tell me what you wanted to say... without Google!″

″Okay... so there's been a murder here in Inaba where a woman's body was found hanging on an antenna.″ Yu heard no response. ″Yeah... so... want me to go back to Google translate?″

″No! When did this happen?″

″About two days ago.″ Yu rubbed his arm as he used his foot to push his laptop into the center of the table before him. ″Oh! Nothing's happened to me, just so you know. Dojima-san made sure of that.″

″He better keep it up...″ Yu felt himself shiver as he heard his mother's voice become threatening. Yu heard the sound of a creaking chair followed by his mother's sigh. ″Anything else to report? That was a pretty long tirade you had going.″

″Yeah, there was a high schooler who discovered the body. The day following the discovery she was assaulted by a cop, who seemed to want her to put out for him. He's currently in incarceration though.″ silence again. ″Mom?″

″What else...″ she groaned.

″The girl that was assaulted was pushed into a TV, which sent her into a strange alternate reality. She had a personification of her denied feelings form, which is apparently called a shadow. I entered in after her and helped her accept the negative side of herself... after I had a terrifying fight with her shadow. We almost died but a bear forced fed me a bead and I was healed. He than healed the girl by giving her some seeds. There were some other crazy things that happened in the TV world too, but I'll save that for another time.″

″...″

″Mutter?″

″Stop that." There was another sigh, "Please tell me that what you just said about the TV world was a joke.″

″I neither will say it true or false. We'll need to talk more about this in person I suspect.″

Yu heard his mother groan. ″Well... thanks for being honest... I guess. Make any friends?″

Yu gave an uncertain sound that almost seemed like a word.

″Is that a maybe?″

Shrugging Yu lay down on the couch. ″I know I've made some positive connections. I think...″ Yu bit his lower lip and looked up at his ceiling. ″I guess I'll place them all in the acquaintance category for now.″

″Sounds good.″ Yu's mother sounded more upbeat now. ″It sounds like its been an utter madhouse over there. I'm glad you've been fine... is Dojima there?″

″Yeah...″ Yu looked over at his door and slowly got up. ″Want me to put him on.″

″That would be nice.″

Peeping over at the living room Yu saw Nanako and Dojima sitting next to each other watching something on the TV. Dojima glanced over at Yu and grimaced. ″Oh great.″ Dojima looked down to Nanako and patted her head. ″I need to talk with your aunt for a bit.″

″Kay...″ Nanako sat up straight and watched as Yu passed the phone off to Dojima.

Sitting next to Nanako, Yu smiled. ″It's okay, it shouldn't take too long.″ Yu looked over and saw Dojima walk down to his room. ″So what have you two been up to while I was gone?″

Nanako pointed over at the TV which had some cartoon on. ″Dad said that he was sick of watching the news so he let me pick what to watch.″ resting her head on Yu's shoulder she sighed. ″Is it bad of me to wish that dad stays home like this more often?″

″Not at all Nanako... as long as you don't wish for bad things to happen to people to allow it.″ Yu rested his head on Nanako's.

″I won't.″ Nanko and Yu than grew silent and sat together watching the cartoon.

In a few minutes Dojima returned and was rubbing his neck. ″That wasn't as bad as I was thinking it was gonna be.″

″What you two talk about?″ Yu lifted his head up.

″She wanted to make sure I kept you safe.″ Dojima grinned and gave Yu the phone back. ″She wants to say bye.″

Yu picked up the phone and placed it to his ear. ″I've gotta get going Yu, classes are starting soon. I just wanted say, I love you. And please don't do anything stupid.″

Yu smiled and nodded. ″It's a deal. Love you mom.″ After hanging up Yu sat by the other-side of Dojima and watched the cartoon with him and Nanako, until it was time for Nanako's bedtime.

After Nanako was put to bed Dojima came back to the living room and sat next to Yu. ″It's been pretty maddening.″ Sighing Dojima draped an arm over his face and slid down in his seat. ″I can't believe this. I knew he was an idiot... I just didn't think he was that much of an idiot.″

″Dojina-san?″ Yu rested an arm on Dojima's arm, which Dojima shifted so he could look at Yu. ″That girl that the news talked about. Is she all right?″

″I think so.″ Dojima lowered his arm and folded it over his other on top of his stomach. ″She's obviously pretty shook up over the whole situation.″ Shaking his head Dojima sighed. ″The family is pretty pissed at us too.″ Dojima pushed himself up and stretched. ″It's been one hell of a day. And we haven't really gotten too much more Intel on the Yamano case...″ Dojima grew quiet as a look of realization came over his face.

″Dojima-san?″ Yu got up from the seat and looked up at him. ″What is it?″

″Just a hunch... I'm heading out for a bit. Keep Nanako safe while I'm out.″ Dojima ran over to the front door grabbing his coat and umbrella.

After Dojima disappeared into the dark rainy night, Yu walked over to the door and locked it. Sighing he leaned his head against it and held tightly to the handle. ″I hope you get home soon. I'd really like to get a good night sleep tonight.″

It was close to midnight again and Yu was still awake in the living room. As the rain pelted on the house Yu looked over at the stairs. 'It wouldn't air again would it? So soon after the last one?' Glancing over at the VCR Yu saw it switch to 11:58. Sighing he got himself up and pulled the TV's cable out. Yu than sat himself down in front of the television and waited.

In a matter of minutes Yu found himself staring at white noise with a shadowy image. On the screen, Yu saw the shadow of a girl standing in the center of the television. A distorted voice began to play from the television; the voice tingled through Yu as it gentle sunk into his ears. ″Awaken...″ Yu felt his face pale as he watched the girl's image shift into a shadowy blob. ″Or Sleep...″ The image began to turn into the girl again, but this time there was a masculine figure looming over her, with tentacles coming off of him. ″Truth...″ the figure morphed again and now the male figure was alone. Lifting up its head Yu saw two yellow lights glowing where the eyes would be. ″Or Lie...″ The TV sputtered a few times than went out.

Yu gulped and reached towards the television. 'Is someone else in there now?' Yu stopped right before touching the screen. 'But, we didn't get to see a clearer image... and...″ Yu looked over to the hallway that lead to Nanako's room. 'I can't leave her.' Yu lowered his hand and grimaced. 'Maybe my shadow knows.' Yu looked down to his chest. ″Are you there? I need some advise.″

Nothing.

Yu looked over at the TV and stuck his head in. As the world pulsated around him he looked forward and saw no shadow on the other side. ″Are you here?″

'I am.'

″Okay, I need to ask you something.″ Before Yu could say anything he watched as a light emanated from his chest and formed into a shadow that loomed below him, drifting in the pulsating lights.

'It is not time to go back yet. Someone has entered in here, but they are on their own journey. You are not to take part in it.' The shadow looked over at the television screen and cleared his throat. 'You know, you may want to go back before Dojima gets home and sees you half in a television with rippling lights.'

Yu nodded and began to leave, as he did his shadow returned to his chest. Once back entirely in the living room, he quietly looked over at the front door. 'I was really hoping that he'd just show up after I got out.' Yu looked back to the TV and sunk his head. 'It's going to be a long night.'

After an hour had passed Yu found no sign of Dojima returning, until he heard the phone ring. Running over to the phone he picked it up. "Dojima-san?!"

"No, I'm sorry." The sound of an unfamiliar man's voice came over the phone, his tone soft. "Your Dojima's nephew right?"

Yu sat down next to the drawer that he got the phone off of and held tightly to it. "Yes."

"Listen, we had to bring your uncle to the hospital for a check up. We found him knocked out in the investigation room."

"Oh God." Yu covered his mouth and his heart began to race.

"Now calm down. He'll be fine, but he was out for around an hour. He's still a little disoriented so we haven't gotten much out of him... though we can make some guesses. Do you know what your uncle was planning on doing? He came in and apparently took Adachi in for questioning. You know Adachi?"

Yu nodded his head and rested a palm on his forehead. "Yeah, I heard about him on the news..."

"It looks like Dojima had taken him out to talk about something. We didn't know about this till we checked up on Adachi and found him missing. Again, this is very important, do you know if your uncle said anything strange before leaving?"

The man tried to remain comforting, but his voice had grown stern. "I think so... he said he had a hunch right after talking about the Yamano case. I don't know what the hunch was specifically though."

"Thanks..." the man sighed. "We'll call again later... can you stay up? I know its a school night."

Yu rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know... I'm on verge of falling asleep now."

"Okay, okay... I'll just leave a message on your phone. Good night." There was a click and all Yu could hear was the sound of rain pelting the windows and the dial tone.


	12. A Rainy Day Off

Yu and Nanako were outside Dojima's hospital room in the morning, listening to the sound of talk from behind the door. It opened to show an officer, who looked about Dojima's age. He stopped up to them and knelt down. ″ Okay, go on in.″ the officer patted Nanako's shoulder and gave her a smile. ″You've been very brave with everything that's been going on. I'm pretty impressed.″ Nanako looked down shyly and slid off her seat.

As fast as she could, Nanako ran off to the hospital room. Yu got up and began to walk over to the room, but looked back to the officer. ″What did you two talk about.″

″Just reaffirming things that went on.″ The officer ran a hand through his hair. ″Still no sign of Adachi.″ Shaking his head the officer laughed. ″What are you doing out here talking to me about things that shouldn't concern you? Get in there and see your uncle.″ The officer than gently pushed Yu towards the door.

″Hey.″ Dojima grinned at Yu as shut the door to the room. Nanako was sitting close by, resting her head on Dojima's chest. With an apologetic grin he gave a short laugh. ″Sorry about this. You just started, and your already skipping a school day on my account.″

Yu scoffed and sat next to Dojima. ″You say that like a bad thing. I should be thanking you for a legitimate reason to not got to school.″Yu hugged Dojima around the neck. ″Just don't do anything stupid like that again.″

″Wasn't expecting Adachi to take me out like that.″ Dojima looked anxiously at Yu as he continued to hug him. ″We got into a fight and... I don't know. He pushed me into the TV than everything went weird for a minute. I felt him push me to the side and than... everything just went out."

Yu's eyes became contemplative upon hearing this. Sliding off of Dojima, Yu patted his uncle's shoulder. ″Sorry you had to go through this.″

″Have they caught him yet dad?″ Nanako looked up to her father, a confident look in her eyes.

″Not yet but we will Nanako. He's a wanted man now.″ Dojima leaned back into his seat and sighed. ″Two counts of assault, and a possible murder.″ Dojima began to reach for a pocket, but noticed that he was only in his hospital gown. ″Shit... bet they threw my smokes out too.″ Groaning Dojima grabbed at his face. ″How much longer are they gonna keep me in here?″

″Not too long.″ The officer that Yu had spoken to earlier came in and smiled at Dojima. ″They just want to make sure you didn't receive any brain damage. The longer your knocked unconscious the more likely you've sustained some brain related trauma.″

Dojima scoffed and lay down onto his side facing towards Nanako. ″Can't be helped I guess...″ Dojima looked over his shoulder at Yu. ″Go on you two.″ Dojima turned to face Nanako and gave her a kiss on the cheek. ″Don't go hanging out around a depressing place like this. Just go home and enjoy your mini vacation.″

″Thanks again Dojima, for not getting off any worse.″ Smirking Yu ran a hand through his hair. "And thanks for letting me skip school today." Yu rested a hand on Dojima's shoulder and felt Dojima grab it with his own hand.

″Well... all your mother wanted me to do was make sure you stay safe. She didn't say anything about your academics.″ Dojima gave Yu a mischievous wink than looked over at Nanako. ″But that doesn't mean I hold the same feelings with you young lady.″

Nanako nodded and hugged her father. ″That's okay, I don't really mind going to school.″

After returning home Yu and Nanako lingered about the house for a while. Yu feeling at a loss of things to do, slouched on top of the kitchen counter. The midnight channel held no immediate task for him, and he had no one to interact with save Nanako. She, however, seemed content just watching the TV which began airing the weather report.

″This rainfall will continue into tomorrow, but on Sunday the skies will finally clear up and we'll be getting that warm sun once more.″

Yu glanced over at the TV than to Nanako. ″Why are you watching the news?″

″Its the only channel that plays the Junes song.″

″Oh...″ Yu let himself slide off the counter and lay on the floor with a desolate expression. ″I'm so bored...″

″You could go out.″

″Someone will probably say I'm playing hookie.″ Yu groaned and covered his face. Nanako gave no response, so Yu crawled off and peeked past the counter at Nanako. ″Maybe I will head out though.″

Nanako nodded as she diligently watched the television.

Yu picked himself up and walked over to the coat and umbrella racks. ″I'm just gonna explore a little bit. I'll keep my cell on. You know my number?″After suiting up Yu looked over at Nanako right as the Junes jingle hit his ears.

″Every days great at your Junes!″ Nanako sang as her face brightened.

'I am starting to feel like this is a bit more worrying than I initially thought. She seems a bit obsessive over this...' Yu smiled at Nanako and waved at her. ″Enjoy yourself, don't open the door for strangers.″

″I know!″ Nanako snapped. ″Sheesh... I'm not stupid.″

Yu nodded and opened the front door. ″I know, just wanted to remind you.″After locking the door with his house keys Yu walked off into the rain. Entering into the shopping district Yu went into the alcohol store. As he looked around he saw a middle aged man sitting by a counter reading from a newspaper. ″Is, Saki-Senpai all right?″

The man glanced up at Yu nonchalantly than turned a page. ″Shouldn't you be in school right now?″

″I-I was given permission to skip because my uncle was brought into the hospital. Me and his daughter went up to make sure he was all right.″ Yu gingerly came in and looked around the place to see a store covered with wooden paneling. To the side he saw stacks of bottles set up for sale.

As Yu came in the man folded up his newspaper and tossed it the side. ″Why do you want to see Saki so badly?″ he adjusted a pair of glasses he wore. ″I wasn't aware she had many friends at school. Except maybe the Hanamura boy.″

Yu began to feel himself tense up. ″I... well... I can come again some other time.″ Yu started to back away while the man's glare pierced through him. ″Just tell Saki that Yu Narukami came by to make sure she was all right. If you're willing to.″

The man rolled his eyes and took up his newspaper again. ″Fine. I'll tell her.″

Yu bowed and quickly left the building. Leaning on the door of the shop Yu grabbed his face and sighed. ″This was a mistake.″ Shutting his eyes Yu lifted up his umbrella and opened it up. Continuing down the street Yu began to hug his chest. 'Everything is so confusing... I don't really know what I should do.' As he passed the Textile shop he saw no one in the window. Looking on ahead he saw an oddly familiar sight.

Standing by the weapon shop Yu saw a strangely dressed black haired girl, who was wearing a blue officer's cap. She looked over at Yu and nudged her head towards the alley way which she walked into. Yu froze where he was and slowly turned around. ″Nope!″

With a quick pace Yu walked over to the Textile Shop. After going inside he gave a sigh of relief and relaxed himself. Looking in front of himself he saw a gray-haired middle aged woman sitting by a table and sewing something. Glancing over at Yu she gave him a sweet smile. ″Don't often get young men in here. What can I do for you?″

Yu glanced over his shoulder and saw no one following after him. ″I'm just a little curious is all. I've been walking by here a lot and I always see this guy looking out the window.″

″Oh, that's my Kanji.″ the woman's face brightened and she stopped sewing ″Such a sweet boy, he helps me around the shop a lot. Such a good seamster.″ she looked up at Yu and nodded her head. ″I've been seeing you walk down this street with your little sister for the past few days come to think of it. Do you not have school today?″

″Well me and her don't.″ Yu shoved his hands into his pockets and sat at the table with the woman. ″We got permission thanks to the police.″

″Oh my, what happened?″ The woman stopped her sewing and raised a hand to her mouth.

″I shouldn't talk too much about it, but everything is fine for the moment.″

The woman nodded and looked back down to her sewing. ″My, everything has been going crazy lately.″

″You said it.″ Yu looked over at the window and saw the girl with the officer's cap walking down the street with her arms crossed. ″So, Kanji was his name?″

″Yes.″

″Where is he right now?″ Before Yu could say anything else, Mrs. Tatsumi looked over her shoulders and called out for her son.

″What is it Ma...″ the blond stopped as soon as he came in the doorway. His eyes lingered on Yu for a moment than shifted over to his mother. ″Need something?″

Now up close, and in good lighting, Yu saw a scar covering part of Kanji's forehead. 'Wow, that's impressive. Wonder how he got that?' Yu's mind began to wander as he stared at Kanji.

Kanji saw Yu staring and his face contorted. "What are you looking at? What the hell are you doing here?″ Kanji lifted up his clenched fists.

"Don't be rude. Sit down.″ Kanji groaned, but obeyed his mother. Sitting next to her he looked silently down at the fabric his mother was working on. ″This is... is... oh my, I never got your name.″ Mrs. Tatsumi looked over Yu and gave a good natured laugh.

″It's Yu Narukami.″ Yu bowed to Mrs. Tatsumi than to Kanji. ″I'm sorry for staring...″

"Yeah... well... no problem. I get lots of weird looks." Kanji looked over at Yu for a second than to his mother. "So, did you need anything Ma?

Mrs. Tatsumi tilted her head towards Yu. "I just thought you'd like to meet someone new. He's that boy that's been walking by here for the last few days with his sister."

"Cousin actually." Yu ran a hand through his hair and smiled over at Mrs. Tatsumi.

"Oh, I see. He's been walking by with his cousin." Mrs. Tatsumi grinned again nudged her head over at Yu.

″What?″ Kanji looked at Yu than back to his mother. ″Oh!″ Kanji looked down to his lap, ″Hey... so... yeah...″ Kanji looked up at Yu than he looked back to his mother. "What do you want me to do?"

"Talk to him, make friends." Mrs. Tatsumi rested a hand on Kanji's cheek and smiled. "You can't keep yourself separated from others."

Kanji's cheeks began to redden and he sunk his face into his chest. ″Mom...″

Sighing his mother lowered her hand. "Kanji, I was just hoping you could start something with this young man. You need to make some friends.″

″What do you know ya ol' bat!″ Kanji whipped his now red face up.

Yu's face flushed and he looked down to his lap. 'What did I just walk into?'

His mother didn't respond with a shout, but a firm tone. ″Kanji, do not speak to me like that. Especially when we have a guest.″ Looking over to Yu she bowed her head. ″Forgive my son, he can be overly brash at times.″

Groaning Kanji rested his chin in his hand and glared out the window. "Sheesh..."

"No, I should be the one apologizing." Yu got to his feet. "I just walked into your shop for no truly legitimate reason." Yu than looked to Kanji and bowed humbly. "I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable. I understand the feeling of not wanting to talk with others. I'll be leaving now. It was nice finally meeting you in person though."

Kanji glanced over at Yu and began to blush. ″Yeah well, see ya around.″ Kanji than went blank for a moment before looking more intently at Yu. "What do you mean, finally meet me?"

Yu was opening his mouth to respond when the door to the shop slammed open. ″There you are!″ the dark haired girl with the officer's hat glared fiercely at Yu, her clothes covered with drops of rain. ″I've been looking all over for you. What's wrong with you? You were supposed to follow me.″ She stormed in and grabbed Yu's wrist. "Let's get going, you've already taken up too much of my time."

A look of confusion came over Kanji's face, while his mother began to grin. ″Hiding from your girlfriend?″ she said as she picked her sewing back up.

″What? No!″ Yu and the girl shouted. Looking at each other they both gave a disgusted grunt. ″Did you just..." Their faces flushed than they shouted "Stop it!″

Mrs. Tatsumi covered her mouth and began to chortle. ″Oh my, such lover squabbles.″

″What's going on Ma?″ Kanji scooted over to her side as his gaze remained on the two teenagers. ″They aren't acting like lovers.″

″That's just the way some people are Kanji.″ his mother patted his shoulder and began to laugh as she watched Yu get dragged out.

″Your crazy! I don't know what you want, but I don't have it!″ Yu looked over to the Kanji and his mother. "Oh... well see ya." Yu began to wave, but than abruptly stopped. 'Wait what am I doing?'

″Should we help?″ Kanji looked warily over at his mother who shook her head.

″They'll need to work it out between themselves.″ she bent down and began her sewing again.

After being dragged across the street Yu opened up his umbrella and looked back at the Textile Shop. Ripping his wrist away, Yu swung the umbrella above his head. ″What do you want from me?″

″It's not what I want, its what the Nose wants.″ she pointed over at the weapons shop.

″Who, might I ask, is the Nose?″ Walking over to the shop Yu looked before it and than looked down the ally only to see nothing. "I don't see anything but some trash."

The girl pouted and than snapped her fingers. There was a flash of blue light which caused Yu to shield his eyes. Feeling someone touching his arms he lowered them to see a translucent door by the alley of the weapon shop. The girl was glaring at him, "Just get in."

Yu stared in awe at the door for a moment. Slowly he walked up to it, "Are... are you that girl from the train station?"

"I don't know... maybe?" shrugging her shoulders the girl grabbed at the door handles. "Let's get in, it's too wet out here." With a loud creek the door swung slowly open to reveal what looked like the insides of a completely blue limo."I hate the rain..." She walked over to the end of the room, where Yu saw an old bald man who had his head pointed down, his hands covering up his face. Next to him was a woman with neatly kept blonde hair, her clothing mostly blue, save some yellow buttons. After sitting down the girl raised her hand and began to beckon Yu. "Get in here already."

For a good few seconds Yu lingered outside, the rain quickly dampening his hair as his umbrella rolled about on the ground. "This week keeps throwing weird things at me." Yu looked over his shoulder and saw he was the only one on the street.

"Please, come in. There is no need to be afraid. We are here to serve you." Yu looked back in and saw the blonde woman smiling at him.

The black haired girl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Yeah... what she said."

Building up his courage Yu picked up his umbrella and walked forward. As soon as he was past the door he heard it shut. Looking behind himself Yu watched as the door transformed into a seat. Gingerly Yu sat himself down, than closing his umbrella he looked over at the windows of the blue room. A strange fog rolled on past them, with a darkness lingering beyond them. 'Pocket dimension, huh?' Turning his attention to the three before him, Yu slowly surveyed them.

His gaze froze on the old man who slowly lifted his head up, a freakishly long nose revealing itself as he raised his head. "Welcome to the Velvet Room." The old man giggled and motioned around the room. "Or should I say, welcome back."

"I've never been here before." suddenly Yu felt a dizzy spell hit him. "Ugh..."

The man began to giggle again and wrung his hands together. "How delightful! It seems you've already begun to harness the power of the Wild Card!"

Yu tiredly looked over at the Nose, but let out a gasp when he saw his shadow form in front of him. Oddly the shadow had its masked face pointed downward. Tilting his head Yu reached out to him, but his hand just passed through the shadow. "Did you bring him out?" Yu looked over at the Nose who nodded, a strange smile coming over his face. Looking over to the dark haired girl Yu saw she was glaring out the windows.

"Oh yes, you see I offer a service to you that involves your Persona's... though this one is most curious." Looking to the blonde he gave her nod. "Margret, would you please look him over?" Nodding her head Margret got herself up and opened up a book. A book that looked like Yu's burgundy journal.

Yu flushed and looked down to his chest to make sure he still had his key. Pulling it out he looked over to Margret who was now smiling. Gulping Yu put his key back under his shirt."Is... that my..."

"No, but it was based on it." Shutting her book Margret waved her arm about the room. "Everything in this room was made with your own mental landscape in mind."

"Why does it look like a limo?" You gently poked his soft seat. "Not that I'm complaining, but I don't often fantasize about them."

"But you do fantasize about them." Yu's face blushed as Margret looked back to her book. "Let's see... Izanami is his name." tilting her head she nodded. "It seems that he isn't purely your Persona."

Catching Yu's attention he got up and looked at his shadow. "But, he's my shadow. Under my control he becomes my Persona."

"Yes, normally, but this Persona isn't entirely from you." Shutting the book Margret looked to the Nose. "Do you think he shouldn't use it?"

The Nose shook his head. "Oh no, I think it is quite all right. With the Wild Card he has complete control over this creature. At least when it comes to what it does physically. Not so sure about its mind." Smiling the Nose looked over to the dark haired girl, who was ignoring all of this. "My dear Marie, perhaps you have an idea of what seems to be mixed with his shadow."

"Nope." Marie looked over to the sleeping shadow and picked up a navy journal she had on the floor. Opening it up she began to flip through it. "I barely know about myself. What makes you think I could help with this?"

"Just thought I should get other opinions." Turning to Margret the Nose grinned widely. "You Margret?"

The blonde woman looked over at Yu than his shadow. "I don't know, I am sorry to say. I suspect all will be revealed in the months to come."

"Wait months?" Yu got up from his seat. "How long is this going to be going on?"

"Who can say," the Nose shrugged and pulled up a deck of cards, which he started to shuffle. "fate is such a strange little thing. One change can alter its course and bring about a new possibility. A new path." The Nose pulled out three cards and left them faced down on a table before him. "What we are here for, however, is to help you understand and use your power of the Wild Card." Smiling the Nose interlocked his fingers and rested his chin on them. "Now, let us begin." The Nose slowly waved his hand over the cards "Everyone has multiple persona's, the different faces we wear in our lives." The first card flipped over and revealed itself to be the The Chariot, " The face we wear in conflict, defining whether we follow or lead..." another card flipped over to reveal Strength, ″The face we wear when our inner beliefs are challenged, will we waver or stay strong...″ the last card flipped and showed The Emperor, ″The face we wear when we are in authority, will you wield an iron fist or will you be softer hearted...″

Waving his hand over the cards again they flipped over again and turned into The High Priestess, The Moon, and The Star. ″There are so many different faces we wear. When obtaining the power of Persona, people tend to only tap into the power of their shadow. The shadow has so much pent up energy due to being unused that it proves to be the most powerful aspect of one's self to wield in battle.″ Bring the cards back together the Nose smiled and made them disappear. ″But you have been given the power of the Wild Card!″ Resting his hands on his chest the Nose sighed. ″Such an amazing power, with it you can use every aspect of yourself. Every persona you wear can be wielded, if you can bring it out that is.″ The Nose began to laugh wildly.

″The next time you enter into the TV world, do try to summon a power from another side of yourself. And be wary.″ The Nose pointed at Yu's masked shadow ″That is part of you, but is also something else. There may be times when it speaks with you and shows itself to have knowledge you wouldn't have. I suspect that this is the sign of another presence. Another's shadow mixed into yours.″ The Nose clapped his hands. ″Now, Marie, Margret, why don't you explain what you'll be doing for our guest!″

″Good day, it is a pleasure to meet you again.″ Margret lifted up her book and pointed at it. ″I hold this compendium which keeps track of all the Persona's you have awakened. If you lose them, I can summon them back to the surface of your mind.″

Yu looked over at Marie, who continued sitting. Lifting up her book she pointed at it as she looked out the window. ″I help by sharing powers from one Persona with another.″ Sighing she let the book fall into her lap. ″Whatever, just come to me when you want to share some parts of a Persona with another.″

The Nose than stood up and bowed to Yu. ″Now it is time for me to explain myself.″ he giggled again and opened up his arms so that it touched Margret's and Marie's space. ″I am Igor... I am here to aid you in understanding your Persona powers, and to aid you whenever you are at a crossroads.″ The Nos... Igor sat himself back down and nodded to Yu. ″As of now we have nothing to offer you, as you don't have any other persona under your control. You can leave without fear, the velvet room door will be waiting right where you found it. We are always ready to help you with your Persona needs.″ Waving his hands Igor sent the shadow back to Yu. ″And remember, if it is the truth you seek understand that it will lead you down a path of suffering.″ Igor began to laugh again as Yu's seat began to transform. ″Now off with you, discover the truth about yourself and others!″

Yu stumbled out of the door that appeared behind him and had the door shut in his face as soon as he fell by it. On the wet ground Yu heard a locking sound. Getting up and grabbing at the handles Yu tugged on them. ″How do I get back in?″ Yu suddenly felt something fall into his pocket. Looking down into it Yu saw a key with a key chain that read, _The Velvet Room. _Putting it back in his pocket Yu looked warily at the door. ″I'll just say it now, I am completely confused.″ Yu grimaced and looked at the Velvet Room door. Lifting up his umbrella he opened it up. "I've gotta write this down..."


	13. Empress Arcana: Social Link

With the rain continuing to fall Yu made his way over to the Samegawa Flood Plain. It seemed that the police had finally moved on so Yu could start taking this route again to get to school. The desolate road had a mist raising up from the ground as the rain continued to heavily hit against it. With his handbag (Yu had gone home to retrieve it), Yu made his way over to the gazebo off to the side of the Samegawa Flood Plain. At first Yu began to shift his route when he saw someone was already under it, but he stopped upon realizing he was seeing Saki.

Tightly gripping his umbrella Yu walked over to the gazebo, lingering right behind her. Biting his lower lip Yu reached out his hand and tapped her on the shoulder. Gasping, Saki swerved her head about. Her eyes were still as tired as ever. ″Oh, Yu-chan.″ a weak smile came on Saki's face, pulling her hair back she motioned for him to sit next to her. ″Wasn't expecting you to be the kind to skip school.″

″I was given a day off today due to a family emergency. Before you ask its been taken care of.″ Yu took off his handbag and laid it on his lap. ″So, how have you been Saki-senpai?″

Shrugging Saki looked out at the fields before her. ″I'm as good as can be expected.″ Glancing at Yu she raised an eyebrow. ″Do you mind me asking about what happened?″

Yu looked over at Saki,″With the TV thing?″

Saki nodded.

″From what I understand I'm part of some test or whatever to find the truth about something...″ Yu groaned and slouched. ″I saw you on something called the midnight channel... well your shadow.″

″Everyone got to see that huh?″ Saki's smile became strained as she grabbed her face. ″How wonderful...″

″It sounds like it only showed the part where your shadow was introducing the show. It doesn't sound like it aired much else.″

″I hope your right.″ Saki brought her legs up and began to hug them.

Silence followed for a little bit before anyone spoke further. ″Saki...″ Yu began to rub the back of his head and began looking out at the fields with her. ″Why aren't you at home?″

Saki sighed and shook her head. ″I wanted somewhere quiet to go. Away from my parents questions. Away from everyone.″ Saki shut her eyes as some tears began to come out. ″It really hurts when you stop and think about yourself... the part of you that you try to ignore.″ Sniffing Saki began to rub her eyes. ″I... I don't really like Yosuke-kun all that much.″ Her voice began to tremble. ″Yesterday he came running in, he didn't even let my dad stop him. He ran right to me and started checking if I was okay. The idiot...″

Yu rested a hand on Saki's shoulder, leading her to grab it and lean her head on it. ″Saki-senpai?″

″I hate him!″ she shouted. ″He's always so upbeat. He never seems to care to notice that I don't want to talk. And he has this stupid crush on me!″ Lowering her head Saki continued crying, but let her head rest in her own hands now. ″It's because of his stupid family's business that my own family is in trouble.″ Rubbing her eyes again Saki looked up at the fields again. ″I can't stand him... but why does he have to try and be nice to me.″ Saki crossed her arms and looked angrily at the street. ″Why does he think that we could be together... I only act friendly with him because he's the managers son. Why can't he get that?″

Yu smiled and shrugged. ″Like you said, he can't read people's signals unless you tell them out right. Though I'm assuming you don't want to tell him these feelings out right.″

″Yeah,″ Saki scoffed and stood up. Walking to the edge of the gazebo she brought her hands out to catch some water. ″I... I know I shouldn't hate him so much. It's not like he had any choice in this. Just wish he actually thought about the situation that I'm in. All he knows is me at work... yesterday was the first time I saw him outside of school and work.″ Splashing her face she shook her head. ″I'm so tired...″

″Maybe you should go home to sleep. You look terrible Saki.″ Yu got up and placed an umbrella over her head.

″I know I should... I just can't stop thinking about everything. It's not just Yosuke-kun. I've been thinking about my shadow. It turned into Jingu...″ Yu cocked his head. ″She's a legendary empress.″ Saki rubbed her eyes again and shrugged. ″Since that happened... does that mean I can do what you did? Send her out to battle things in the TV world?″

Yu nodded, ″I suspect so. The Nose was just talking about how people tend to gain the power of Persona with their shadows.″

″The Nose? Is he the one that taught you about all this stuff?″

Grimacing Yu looked down to his feet. ″Honestly, I'm still trying to figure out what his deal is. He says he wants to help me with my Persona powers... but he's just so freaky.″ Yu shrugged. ″I suspect though, based off what I learned from him and his associates, and last night... things are going to be getting more lively around here.″

″What happened last night?″ Saki pulled out her own umbrella and popped it open. Yu maneuvered his back over his own head.

″The midnight channel. There is someone else in the TV world, this time though they seem to be in there for their own reasons. My shadow said that I wasn't supposed to deal with them. He said whoever was in there was on their own journey.″

Saki looked at Yu harshly. ″And how would your shadow know that?″

Tightening his grip on his umbrella Yu looked up at the see-through plastic that loomed over his head. ″It...″ Yu looked back down. ″It's not entirely my own...″

″So wait... it's someone else's shadow?″ Saki held the side of head and walked out from under the gazebo into the rain. Turning about she faced Yu, right as some wind began to blow her hair about. ″How are you even controlling it?″

″I guess because it's partially mine. The Nose told me that with the power of the Wild Card, which I apparently have, I can control a shadow's physical actions.″ Yu walked out with Saki and motioned to the street. ″I don't have all the answers as of yet. We're going to have to deal with things as they come... if your willing to help me with whatever comes up. With the power of Persona that you've awakened I think that you can be a big help to me for if anyone else gets sent into the TV world.″

Saki nodded and the two began to walk down the street. ″I'll do my best, I've never done this before though. From what you've been saying though I get the feeling your not too used to this either.″ Smiling Saki nodded her head. ″All right. We'll work together to figure out what is going on with these powers we have. And we'll help anyone else that gets sent into the TV world... though with Adachi locked up I'm not sure we have much to worry about.″ looking down to Yu she saw him shaking his head. ″Wh-what do you mean?″

″That family emergency I told you about? It was because Dojima was knocked out by Adachi. He escaped last night.″

Saki gasped and grabbed her mouth. Her umbrella slipped out her hand and hit her on the head. ″Ow! God damn it...″ Saki grabbed the umbrella and lifted it back up. Looking over to Yu she again looked at him fiercely. ″Why hasn't my family been told about this?″

″I suspect they want to keep it hushed right now. So don't tell anyone... I wanted to let you know because of how we're both involved in this.″ Yu looked over his shoulder and saw no one behind them. ″Also, I think Adachi is the one that went into the TV. It sounds like he may have tried to push Dojima in, but had second thoughts and jumped in himself.″ Yu looked over at Saki seriously. ″This is far from being over with him.″

Sighing Saki nodded her head. ″All right... I'll keep an ear to the ground.″ Saki smiled and hugged Yu. ″Thank you, I really appreciate you talking with me.″

″Oh... well... no problem.″ Yu's face began to blush as he began to return the hug.

Saki released Yu and pulled back some of her hair. ″Hey Yu-chan, what is your last name?″

″Huh? Oh, it's Narukami.″

Saki nodded and let her gaze drift off to the river at their side. ″Narukami... hope you don't mind, but I think I'll start calling you Naru-chan.″ she gave Yu a wink and began to run ahead. ″I'll see you tomorrow at school! I'm gonna take your advice and get some sleep!″ Saki than turned about and disappeared down into the misty streets.

Yu was still blushing, his heart beginning to race. 'Don't get excited... she's just being nice to me. Don't go reading something into kind gestures.' Yu ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Looking down Yu smiled. 'But I'm happy I was here to talk with her, to get to know her a little more.'

The world suddenly froze around Yu. A familiar voice began to echo in his head. 'You have forged your first social link, with the Empress Arcana. With the power of the relationship you have created you will have an easier time controlling this aspect of yourself. Congratulations. But know that you can further strengthen this link to give yourself more power over yourself.' Time began to return to normal and Yu at a loss for words.

Yu slowly returned to a neutral expression and looked behind himself.'Whatever... I expect this is going to be happening to me all too often.' Taking a deep breath Yu walked back up to the gazebo and began to write down some new entries into his journals. While writing down Kanji's section Yu heard someone approaching. Slamming his book shut he brought his head up and saw Yukiko walking up to the gazebo.

″Oh! Narukami-san.″ Yukiko stopped from her approach when her eyes met with his. ″I didn't think I'd see anyone here for a while. Did school let out early.″

″Not really... You know what? Your the second person I've seen up here actually.″ Yu smiled and waved Yukiko over, ″You all right Yukiko? I saw you on the news last night...″

Yukiko's face suddenly blushed. ″Oh, you saw that?″ Looking down at her pink kimono she sighed, ″I'll be fine Narukami. I'm just taking a break from the inn is all.″ Running her hands through her hair Yukiko threw it into the air, while letting out an exasperated breath. ″I can't believe my mother has to deal with all of this on a daily basis. Its insane.″ Slouching she let out another groan and grabbed at her eyes. ″So... what are you doing out her anyway Narukami? If school isn't out... are you skipping?″

″Nah, I was given a day off due to family issues. It's been taken care of now though, so I'm kind of at a loss for what to do. Just thought to come out here to collect my thoughts.″ Yu shoved his books into his handbag, without locking them. ″While out here I met Saki-senpai. She seemed pretty tired... kind of like you.″

Yukiko perked up at hearing this. ″Really? Do you know why?″

Yu flushed and grabbed his mouth, 'Oh! I forgot she probably wouldn't know. The news never talked about who the student who found the body was.' Looking down to has feet Yu began to feel himself going frantic. 'What should I say?' Yu looked up and saw Yukiko looking at him worriedly. 'Oh God! I'm making it worse!' Yu put on a smile and bowed his head. ″I'm sorry, its personal. I just wanted to let you know Saki-senpai has been tired too.″

″Okay... are _you_ all right Narukami? You started freaking out.″ When Yu responded with a tight lip Yukiko slowly nodded. ″Okay...″ clearing her throat she looked off at the field. ″Moving on, how have you and Chie been?″

″Me and Chie?″ Yu tilted his head. 'I guess we've been fine... though after showing her the TV, she's probably a little uncertain right about now.' Rubbing his chin he began to nod his head. ' I'd say we're acquaintances... actually it might be a little more. We're already confiding secrets to each other.' Yu looked over at Yukiko who was giving him a confused look. ″We're cool.″

″Oh, good.″ Yukiko held her chest and gave a sigh of relief. ″I was starting to worry you two got into a fight or something.″ Smiling she looked at Yu and pulled a strand of hair out of her face. ″You know... Chie is really special to me. If it wasn't for her I probably wouldn't have had the courage to talk to other people like I am now.″Sighing she began to nod her head. ″I'd like to spend time with you guys... but the inn really is eating up my free time.″ Looking over to Yu's handbag she grinned again. ″So what were you writing about anyway?″

″Stuff.″ Yu shifted his handbag and hid it behind his person. ″That is all you need to be aware of.″

″Sorry,″ Yukiko looked down to her umbrella, which she had leaned against her seat. ″is it a diary or something.″

″Or something.″ Yu blushed and bit his lower lip.

″I can see I'm starting to bother you.″ getting up Yukiko opened up her umbrella and began to leave. ″Hope you have a good day Yu.″

″Wait, Yukiko!″ Yu got himself together and ran after her. ″I can go, your still taking a break. I have all of today for myself. Just go rest for a bit.″

Yukiko shook her head. ″No, I got to head back to the inn anyway.″ Yukiko smiled and bowed to Yu. ″It was nice getting to chat with you.″ Yu watched as she disappeared into the mist like Saki; again he was left alone with his thoughts.

Looking down to his handbag Yu took out his burgundy journal and turned to the last page he was working on. Picking up his pen he began to write again. 'Kanji Tatsumi... he seems to be very shy around other people, getting all flustered when forced to interact with them. He also has a bit of temper when he is forced into uncomfortable situations. I don't know too much about him right now, though I plan on meeting up with him again to further investigate about him.' After writing his thoughts Yu turned the pages back and looked down at another newly added entry.

_Marie (I am assuming she's a girl, beyond that I have no clue of whether she's human or if she's actually a teenager.)_

_She is one of three residents of a realm called the Velvet Room. I've met her once before, when she didn't have her hat on. She comes off as grumpy, and constantly annoyed. Though she did stop to return an item I had dropped so I don't think she's out right malicious. Just crabby. Somethings she mentioned while I was in the Velvet Room suggests that she doesn't know who she is. I'm not too sure on how I should go about finding out more about her. Just be prepared for whatever situation I end up in with her._

After locking his journals Yu turned about and faced towards the direction his school was. 'Nothing else to do really...' Sighing he walked on till he came to the gates of the school. His eyes carefully surveyed the place and he could see all the students sitting about in class. Entering into the school building Yu leaned against the shoe lockers at the entrance and looked over at the stairs. Sitting down he took out his journal again and opened it up. While he was reading through his entries he heard the sound of clacking shoes. Looking over he saw his biology teacher walking by, flipping through some papers. After she walked up the stairs Yu returned to reading his entries.

The sound of footsteps came up again, causing Yu to roll his eyes. When Yu looked over to the sound he saw Mr. Morooka coming down the stairs with a binder tightly held to his chest. Morooka's eyes rested over Yu and began to glare. ″Aren't you supposed to be with your uncle or whatever?″ Morooka walked over to Yu and looked down at him.

″He needed some rest so we were sent home.″ Yu shut his journal and put it away into his handbag.

″What was that?″ Morooka pointed over to Yu's handbag, which Yu clasped his hands on.

″My personal writings.″ Mr. Morooka gave Yu a suspicious glare and began to walk away.

″If your not going to class, just go home. I don't want to see you lounging around the school when I walk by here again.″ Holding his head Morooka groaned and headed down to the teacher's lounge.

″You all right Mr. Morooka?″ Yu got himself and walked over to his homeroom/philosophy teacher.

″Piss off,″ Tiredly Morooka lowered his shoulders and shook his head. ″Can't say I'm in much of a mood to talk with one of you brats.″ Morooka pushed open the teacher's lounge and disappeared inside.

Yu looked down to the floor and sighed. Heading to the stairs Yu walked on up and went over to his classroom. Peeking inside he heard the math teacher talking. As he looked around the room he saw Chie listlessly staring over to the front of the class, Yosuke doing the same thing. Looking over to his seat Yu began to open the door a little more but stopped himself. Shutting the door softly Yu began to walk away and headed back down the stairs.

″Yu!″

Turning around Yu saw Yosuke running down the stairs and stopping right in front of him. Raising an eyebrow Yu looked at Yosuke with a look of curiosity″What are you doing out of class?″

″I... could...″ Yosuke raised up his hand as he caught his breath. ″Whew... what are you doing here? I thought you were given the day off?″

Yu shrugged and walked over to the shoe rack. ″I'm restless, I didn't want to just sit around at home so I started looking around town for things to do.″ Sighing Yu leaned against the shoe rack. ″I feel kind of at a loss right now.″ Yu slid down and sat down by the shoe rack. Holding his head Yu began to shake it. 'Persona, Persona, Persona... what am I supposed do about those things? And Adachi too...' Yu rested his head on the rack that was behind him and looked over to Yosuke. ″What are you doing here anyway?″

″I'm on a _bathroom_ break.″ Yosuke sat next to Yu. ″Must be pretty confusing with all this stuff going on. With the TV I mean...″ Rubbing his head Yosuke grinned. ″I checked on Saki yesterday... you remember right?″

Yu was silent, but nodded his head.

″She was so tired... her dad and little brother tried to make it so I couldn't see her, but I got past them.″ he leaned his head on the rack and gave an amorous sigh. ″She seemed so surprised to see me. She was thanking me about seeing her and everything. I'm thinking of going out to get her a get well gift a little bit later.″

″Make sure its not from Junes.″ Yu blurted out.

″Huh, why not?″ Yosuke turned to Yu, his eyebrows farrowed.

″Uh...″ Yu looked down to his feet and grimaced. ″I haven't been here very long, but it sounds like the whole Junes thing is kind of a sore point for her right now.″

″She works there, I'm pretty sure she's fine with it.″ Yosuke patted Yu's shoulder and nodded. ″But it would be kind of tacky to get her something from Junes though... don't want to look cheap or anything. I guess I could head to the city later this week... would you want to come along?″

Yu gave a sigh of relief and nodded. ″If noth-″

″I told you to stop lounging around out here!″ Morooka stormed in over to Yu and pointed to the door. ″If your not in class than get the hell out of here!″ Morooka's gaze turned down to Yosuke and he began to glare at him. ″What are you doing out of class Hanamura?"

″I, uh, I was just on my way to the bathroom when I saw Yu.″ Yosuke's voice wavered as he spoke, Morooka's stare suggesting he wasn't buying it.

″Get back to your classroom ya little snot!″

″Yessir!″ Yosuke got up and began to run back up the stairs.

Morooka looked back to Yu and glared at him. ″I'm staying here till I'm certain your ass is out of here.″

″Yes sir Mr. Morooka.″ Yu got up and ran out the front door of the school. After running beyond the school gate Yu sighed. 'I hope Yosuke will be all right... should I tell him about Saki?' Looking away he shook his head. 'No, that's up to her. I shouldn't meddle like that. It wouldn't be proper.' Yu tightened his grip on his handbag and headed home.


	14. The Amagi Inn

The night before, Yu only saw white noise on the midnight channel. Saturday classes had gone by with little issue. Putting his things away Yu looked over at a calm Chie who smiled over at him. ″So, do you guys want to talk about this?″ Yu looked back to Yosuke who shrugged. Turning back to Chie he saw her standing calmly with her bag in front of her. ″With what happened we can agree none of us will be talking with anyone else about it. Also, I don't plan on getting involved in this stuff either.″ Chie looked over at Yosuke who was laughing. ″What?″

″You're seriously gonna let go of a chance like this? Chie, think of the things we could do in there!″

″We may want to find somewhere more private to discuss this.″ Yu cautiously looked over to some other students, who didn't seem to be paying attention.

Yosuke waved his hand dismissively. ″Dude, its okay. No one is paying attention, besides we'll be careful. Anyway... mind if we come over?″ Yosuke raised an eyebrow, a smile coming onto his face.

″Yosuke you're not serious!″ Chie stomped her foot and let her bag hit the ground

″Oh come on Chie, don't be a spoil sport. How often do people get to be involved in weird adventures in their lives, huh? Almost. Never.″ Yosuke looked over to Yu, folded his hands and bowed his head. ″I'm begging you, let me check it out.″

Yu looked over to Chie than back to Yosuke. Crossing his arms, Yu gave Yosuke a flat response. ″No.″

″What? Why not?″ Yosuke sat up and looked anxiously at Yu.

″It's not a place you should take lightly Yosuke. It's dangerous. While your there your shadow will come out and...″ Yu's face began to blush as some girls at the end of the class began to look at him. ″Uh...″

″Their talking about some stupid MMO, just ignore them.″ Chie shook her head and rolled her eyes. The two girls began to laugh and went back to talking with each other. Coming up close to Yosuke, Chie grabbed him by the collar. ″I think Yu's right. Let's find somewhere else to talk.″

The three left the classroom and headed on over to the sewing room in the Practice Building. ″All right, so we're here.″ Yu crossed his arms and shook his head. ″I won't be letting you into the TV Yosuke. It's too dangerous.″

″You said that all ready, but listen Yu. You'll be there with me, everything will be fine.″ Yosuke nudged Yu's arm and gave him the thumbs up. ″Come on, we won't be there too long. It's just a little sight seeing.″

Yu glared down at Yosuke and slapped his arm away. ″If you remember what I told you guys, I believe I mentioned I almost died in there. If it wasn't for Teddie I and Saki would be dead.″

Yosuke sighed and slumped down next to a sewing machine. ″You're a real hard ass aren't ya...″ Chie than flipped Yosuke over in his chair. ″Agh! Chie what the hell?!″

″Shut it! You have no idea what it was like in there.″ Chie crossed her arms and looked over at a shocked Yu. ″You don't know what your asking...″

″Shouldn't Yu be the one telling me that?″ Yosuke got himself up, rubbing his head as he glared at Chie. Looking over to Yu, Yosuke nodded.″It's cool. I won't bug you anymore about it.″ Yosuke began to walk by the two, still rubbing his head. ″I'm... I'm going to work.″ Yosuke stopped at the door and smiled at Yu. ″I'll talk to you when I plan on going to the city.″

Yu nodded and sat down in one of the seats. After Yosuke left, Yu look over to Chie who was rubbing the sides of her arms. ″Do you want to do something?″

Chie gave a soft laugh and shrugged. ″What do you have in mind?″

Yu rested his head on his hands and bit his lower lip. ″Well... we could...″ Yu sighed and leaned back in his seat. ″I don't know.″

″We could go to the Amagi inn.″ Chie looked over her shoulder at the door. ″I really haven't seen Yukiko for a while. I freaked yesterday cause she didn't show up to school. She didn't come in again today. I'm getting worried.″

Yu nodded his head and stood up. ″That's fine, I haven't ever been to the Amagi inn before. Should be nice to see this popular tourist attraction.″

Chie brought her bag back over her shoulder and smiled. ″ Let's get going than!″ Chie fist pumped and slammed the door of the room open. ″We're off!″

″Chie!″ Yu's voiced his discontent too slow, Chie had already disappeared from sight. 'God damn it! Why does everyone just go running off like crazy around here.' Grabbing his bag Yu bolted off after Chie.

It wasn't till he got back into the normal school building that he caught back up with Chie who was jogging in place by the door. ″Come on! The bus to the Amagi inn will be getting here soon. We got to high tale it to the shopping district.″

″We have to take a bus?″ Yu's mouth dropped and quickly grabbed at his cell phone. ″I hope you brought enough money for the both of us. I left my wallet at home.″ Dialing the Dojima Residence Yu saw Chie show off she had enough for the both of them.

Yu waited a few moments as the phone rang. ″We can't come to phone right now, so please leave your name and number and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.″ Than there was a beep.

″Hey Dojima? Nanako? It's me Yu. I'm heading to the Amagi inn with a Chie Satonaka, so don't worry that I don't show up home right away. I'll leave my phone on.″ Hanging up Yu ran off with Chie as fast as his legs would carry him. Once at the bus stop at the edge of the rainy street Yu and Chie slumped over holding their chests. ″So, how much longer till they get here?″ Yu asked through his breaths.

Chie pulled back her coat sleeve to reveal a wristwatch.

Looking down to his bare wrist Yu grimaced. '_I should probably get my own, but I haven't had much of a chance to go out to get one. Maybe they sell them somewhere on the shopping district._' Looking over to the district Yu looked up and down it. His gaze froze over the glowing blue door which led to the Velvet Room. Sighing Yu let his head droop down.

″Yu!″ Chie smacked his head.

″Ow! What?″ Yu looked up at Chie who gave an exasperated sigh.

″It'll be coming by in around five minutes.″ Crossing her arms she looked down the road and leaned against the bus stop while balancing her umbrella. Her gaze slowly drifted over to the gas station that stood just across the street from them.

Yu followed her gaze and saw the androgynous gas station attendant leaning on his or her gas pump. When she or he noticed their stares the attendant began to smile and wave. Yu gave a weak smile and began to wave back. ″How long have you known about him?″

Chie shrugged and looked back towards where the bus would be arriving. ″ A while... I never really thought much about him. He's harmless though.″

Yu nodded and looked back down the shopping district. Not a soul in sight. '_Maybe the rain keeps everyone inside. It's been pretty rainy since I moved here._' Yu looked up at his clear umbrella and began to twirl it. '_I really hope Saki's all right. Haven't seen her since yesterday._' Sighing he looked down to his shoes and watched as a wave of water rolled by them. With the sound of breaks Yu looked up to see the bus. Chie was already on paying their fair. Hopping on Yu followed Chie to a seat near the back and the two grew silent.

After a while Chie began to slouch, her bag sliding off her shoulder. ″I'm scared...″ Chie let her bag slip entirely off. ″I watched the midnight channel again... the night before last night. That girl that showed up on the screen, she looked like Yukiko. But, what was that thing with her?″

Yu looked out the window at the rainy fields they were rolling past.

″Please Yu, if there is anything you know about this...let me know.″ Chie grabbed his hand. ″Yukiko is very important to me. If something were to happen to her, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.″ Turning her head up to Yu she gave him a serious stare.

Yu was silent for a bit, but slowly nodded his head. ″I saw it too. I didn't recognize the girl, or the man. I do know that there is something going on in the TV world. Someone is in there right now, but he's in there of his own volition.″ Chie was still looking at him darkly. ″If Yukiko becomes targeted next, you have my word I won't let anything kill her. I can't promise no harm will come to her, but I will fight to keep her alive. Even at the cost of my own life.″ Yu felt a warmth rise up in his chest. '_Wow, did I just say that? I'm feeling awfully badass._'

A smile came over Chie's face and she nodded, satisfied. ″Good. If you need me to help with anything, you can call on me.″ Chie pulled out her cell phone. ″I want you to take my number. If me or you find out anything weird we can give each other a call. We'll protect the people of this town together.″ Chie fist pumped and gave an enthusiastic "Yeah!"

After the two exchanged numbers Chie reached up and pulled the cord to the bus. As the two walked up to the inn they both froze. Some cops were standing at the entrance talking with each other over a cup of coffee. '_They've been here for a while haven't they..._' Yu looked over at Chie who's face had deeply paled. Reaching out his hand he touched her shoulder. ″It's all right. We'll go in and check if Yukiko's in.″

″Yeah... let's do that.″ Chie held tightly to her umbrella and walked on. A wry smile came over her face. "I mean... checking on Yukiko was the whole reason we came here."

Passing the two officers Yu was surprised to see them not react to their presence. Straining his ears Yu caught them talking about just some personal things like how their family's were doing. Inside Yu saw everything seemed to be calm. Over at the desk was Yukiko who was talking with one of the inn's workers.

" Mom said to keep the room locked till everything has been worked out." Yukiko's eyes went over to the entrance. "They said they were finished so could you go get the key back. Than you can put it in..." Yukiko's gaze rested on Chie than Yu. "... storage."

"Of course Ms. Amagi." the worker gave her a respectful bow and walked towards the entrance.

"So... what's with the cops?" Chie leaned against the counter and smiled encouragingly at Yukiko.

Grabbing some of her hair Yukiko began to run her hands through it repetitively. "Why'd you come up here Chie." Looking down at her desk Yukiko's face began to contort. "I told you not to come over..."

"Yukiko." Chie's stepped back, her face looking ready to tear up. Clenching her fists Chie stepped forward again. "We've all been worried sick about you. You haven't gone to school for the last two days, your looking completely ragged." Chie grabbed Yukiko's hands causing the dark haired girl to rip her hands away.

"Just go home Chie. I've got work to do." Yukiko slammed her guest book shut and than walked past a door labeled "Employees Only_"_. After the door shut Chie's eyes squinted and she stormed off to the entrance.

"Come on Yu!" without looking behind her to make sure he was following, she went through the entrance.

'_We better not get into trouble over this.'_ grimacing Yu hurried after her.

Chie stood before the inn worker who was holding a pair of keys in her hands. "I can't tell you about this all right. Ms. Amagi said to not talk about it."

"Oh come on! Was there another murder that took place here?" Chie stomped her foot and started pointing her finger into the worker's face. " Why are you being so hush hush?"

Yu looked over at the worker's hand and caught the number that was on the key before she shoved it into her pocket. "It's all right Chie, let's just leave her alone." Yu grabbed Chie's shoulder and motioned her back inside the inn. "Let's collect ourselves."

Chie shot a dirty look at the worker. "Whatever." Chie pushed the door open and walked over to some seats in the lobby.

Yu bowed to the worker, "Forgive her, she's really worried about Ms. Amagi. She is very protective of her."

The worker nodded, and walked by Yu. "Just make sure she doesn't cause any trouble."

Back inside Yu sat next to Chie, his hands clasped. "Let's take this a bit more subtly, okay?"

"What are you suggesting?" Chie had her arms crossed, but her tone was much calmer now.

Looking over at the currently vacant front desk Yu grinned. "I saw the key number. Yukiko left the guest book out." Yu looked back to Chie and saw her smiling back. "Let's take a quick look before Yukiko comes back." After the two made sure that no one was paying too close attention Yu flipped through the guest book and came upon the last person with the room number. Yu sighed and nodded his head. "Not really surprised..."

"What? Who was it?" Chie looked over to the book at the section Yu was pointing at. "Yamano?" Chie nodded her head too and looked over at the entrance. "It makes sense doesn't it..."

Yu nodded and shut the book. "What should we do now?"

"I don't know... I still feel worried about Yukiko and the midnight channel thing." Walking over to the Employees Only door. "I'm going in." Chie than disappeared beyond the door.

Standing alone in the lobby Yu leaned against the desk and looked over at the entrance to the inn, patiently waiting. '_I'm feeling pretty good right now.'_ Yu grinned and began to nod his head. '_Kind of like a teenage detective or something. Today's been pretty good for my ego so far.'_ Yu looked behind himself at the Employees Only door. '_How long is she going to be in there?' _Quietly Yu made his way over to the door and peeked in to see a small little room filled with log books, a couch, a table, and a TV. Yu felt his face flush as he walked in. "Chie? Yukiko?"

Grimacing Yu looked at the TV and took out his cell phone. Groaning he hit his head. '_Damn it... I really need to add Saki.' _Shutting his phone Yu walked out of the room and looked over to the entrance. '_Oh God, the cops!'_ grabbing his face Yu began to quiver. '_Will they think I'm involved in this? Should I tell them?'_ Yu looked back over at the Employees Only room. '_I could go into the TV, but what if I can't find Teddie? I don't want to go in there unless I have back up.'_

Yu quietly watched as the worker from earlier came by and entered the Employees Only room. Taking a deep breath Yu lowered his head. Leaving the room the worker looked over to Yu. "Do you know where Ms. Amagi is?"

"She and Chie ran off somewhere with each other. They didn't say where they were going." Yu felt a slight quiver in his leg, but forced his weight on it. "Is everything all right?"

"I suppose so. I just wanted to tell her that I had done what she asked." the worker shut the door and walked up some stairs. "She better get back soon. Her shift isn't over yet."

After she walked off Yu calmly sat down in the lobby. Clasping his hands again he began to contemplate the situation. '_I have no money, so I don't think the bus is an option. The longer I leave them in there the more dangerous their situation... perhaps I should go in. Maybe my shadow could show me the way to Teddie or something._' Nodding Yu got up and walked over to the Employees Only room. '_I hope this is the right thing to do.'_ Shutting his eyes Yu entered into the room.


	15. Mad Castle Skirmish

Nervously Yu walked over to the TV, his legs beginning to quiver. As he was reaching to the TV he stopped himself. '_Wait... Nanako. She's probably back by now._' Stepping back from the TV Yu dialed home. "Come on pick up..." After a few rings Yu heard a click.

"'ello?"

'_Thank God._' Yu held his chest and gave a sigh of relief. "Hey Nanako-chan, I was wondering if you could do something for me."

"What's that?"

"I need you to head to the alcohol shop. The first store on your right in the shopping district when we're on our way to school." Yu heard a soft groan, to which Yu responded with twitch at a corner of his lips. "Nanako, this is important. I need you to go there and go talk to someone named Saki Konishi. Tell her that Naru-chan is meeting with some friends... uh... by the TV?" Yu smacked his head. '_Damn it... will she understand that?'_

"Uh... 'kay? Anything else?" Nanako's tone was bewildered, but she seemed to be paying attention still.

"Uh, I guess so. Tell her to come over and go to my room to check on my TV. I should have a friend named Teddie waiting on the other-side... I hope."

"Other-side of what?" in response to her question Nanako heard a stifled curse. "Sheesh, I won't ask."

Yu's eyebrows began to twitch as he looked over at the TV. '_I can feel her rolling her eyes.'_ Lowering his head Yu groaned and shook his head. "Look, this is really important. Please Nanako. Do this for me."

"All right, all right. Don't have to freak on me." Nanako hung up, leaving Yu with nothing but the dial tone.

Sighing Yu put the phone back in his pocket than reached into his handbag. Pulling out his TV world glasses he put them on and looked warily at the television. '_Here's hoping Saki and Teddie get to us before I get too brutalized.' _Holding tightly to his handbag Yu climbed through the TV and was met with the familiar pulsating lights all around him.

On the other-side Yu felt an echoing voice. 'She is not too far ahead. Hurry before you lose her.'

Yu than went off at a run and in a matter of moments he saw a disoriented Chie squinting her eyes as she looked around. "Who's that?!" Chie took on a martial art stance and leered over at Yu. Slowly he walked forward till Chie calmed herself down. "Oh, Yu." Rubbing the back of her head Chie gave a soft laugh. "So... I know it was kind of dumb. But when I saw Yukiko wasn't in here I went over to the TV."

"How'd you get the ability to go through it?" Yu crossed his arms and glared over at Chie who was looking off into the distance.

"I don't know. Maybe when you were showing us and my hand went through." Chie pointed forward. "I saw someone walking off that way. It could be Yukiko." Chie looked over at Yu with a deadly look. "Remember what you said on the bus."

Yu nodded and grabbed Chie's hand. "Let's go." While the two ran off Yu began to take notice to their surroundings. All about them were high cobble stone walls with spires jutting out towards the sky. The sky was gray, like an ash cloud. The two eventually slowed to a walk when they saw a gigantic castle with a large opened drawbridge.

At the base of the drawbridge Yu and Chie saw a tall and skinny man carrying Yukiko over his shoulder. Yukiko's eyes seemed to be clouded; though her head was posed so that it could see Yu and Chie, she gave no reaction. ″Yukiko!″ Chie, leaving Yu stunned at her sudden shout, ran off at a dash after the man who turned about giving a horrified look at his pursuer.

″Stay back!″ The man pulled out a gun and held it to Yukiko's head. After the panic in the man's face settled down a disturbing smile came over his face. ″Well, isn't this a surprise. I thought I would be the only one in this world. The only one able to pull others in. I don't remember bring someone as butch as you along.″

Taken aback, Chie's face went red. ″Bu... butch?!″ Chie stomped her foot and shook her head. ″You know what, I don't care. Just give Yukiko back and I won't have to throttle your ass!″

Yu got up to Chie and leaned over to her ear. ″_Reign the antagonism down a twinge. He does have a gun and a hostage._″ Yu looked over at the man with the gun who was glaring over at him and Chie.

″_Than what am I supposed to do._″ Chie whispered as she began to ring her hands together.

″What are you two whispering about!″ the man pointed the gun over at them and let off a shot making them both lurch away from the dust cloud he created. ″You two stay right out here, and I'll let both you and your little friend live.″ giving a smug smile he walked over to something behind the castle wall and than the drawbridge began to come up. ″Wait a second.″ The drawbridge lowered again, and the man pointed his gun at Yu. ″I'd recognize that freakish gray hair anywhere.″

″Freakish?!″ Yu blurted out before he could bite his tongue. Blushing Yu watched as the man laughed at Yu's disturbance. Taking a deep breath Yu calmed himself. '_Now isn't the time to freak out on such trivial matters.'_

″How's Dojima-san. You don't seem that upset, so I'm assuming he got off easily.″ With a grin he put Yukiko down. Crossing his arms he began to pace about the castle entrance. ″Man, you have no idea how long I've been wanting to conk him like that.″

″That's very nice sir, but could we discuss the reason you kidnapped my comatose friend.″ Yu clasped his hands together and took on a calm stance.

″Yu, what are you doing?″ Chie looked back over at the man with the gun and saw him walking forward. Yu gave Chie a slight gesture with his head and looked back to the man who was now ten feet in front of him, gun still drawn. Chie nodded and walked back a bit, leaning against the long wall of cobblestone that fenced around both sides of the road they were on.

″I saw her earlier.″ A sick smile came over his face as he pointed the gun over at Chie. ″And don't get any smart ideas. I'm not as dumb as you might think, ya country trash.″

Chie's face reddened with rage, but she remained where she stood.

″What do you mean by see her, like on the TV?″ Yu felt his body tense up as he watched Adachi glance between him and Chie.

″Of course not, I was shown her by... myself you could say.″ Reaching out his hand without the gun Adachi's chest began to glow red. The red light congregated into his hand and turned into a card with a mask on it. With his gun hand he reached over to the card and shot at it. As it shattered into a hundred pieces a dark shadow began to form behind Adachi. ″This is the Power of Persona.″ Adachi grinned and pointed up at his Persona, who looked like a darker version of Yu's.

As he gawked at it, Yu motioned with his hand at Chie who quietly began to slide against the wall past Adachi. ″That... that looks like my Persona.″

″What? Your...″ Adachi shook his head and stomped his foot. ″No! How does a snot nosed kid like you get a

power like this?″

″How does a man who dry heaves in the grass after seeing his own murder victim get this kind of power?″ Yu than let out a strained groan as a shot rang through the area. Grabbing at his arm Yu looked down to see it dripping with blood, and unresponsive to his attempts to move it.

″Don't you dare make fun of me like that...″ Adachi's words slithered from his mouth as he walked over to Yu. His gun was pointed at Yu's other arm now, which was cradling his shot one. ″I've put up with shit from a lot of people, but now... now I hold the power. Beg for your life.″

Yu kept his gaze on Adachi, not wanting to give a sign that Chie was already off getting Yukiko. Adachi grabbed Yu's hair and pushed his face down into the ground. ″Please... don't do this...″

″Louder!″ Adachi tightened his grip on Yu's hair but became startled when he heard Chie's scream. Looking behind himself he saw Chie looking at a mirror version of herself which was laying next to Yukiko. ″What in the...″Adachi than felt himself get toppled over as Yu, with his good arm, grabbed at the gun. ″You little shit! Let go.″

″Fat chance!″ Yu positioned the gun towards Adachi's shoulder and made Adachi's finger hit the trigger.

″God!″ Adachi fell over holding at his shoulder as he convulsed on the ground. As he did, his Persona hit Yu with its sword launching him to a wall. ″You little brat!″ Adachi screamed in an animalistic rage. ″Kill him!″ His Persona looked at the now gasping Yu, and shook its head. ″Kill him!″ Adachi shrieked again as he crawled over to his gun which was close to Yu. ″Why won't you listen to me?″

Yu looked over to the Persona that loomed over him, his temporarily darkened. 'It looks like mine...' Yu lifted up his still good arm and did the same thing Adachi did, but crushed the card instead of shooting it. Yu's Persona stood up and slammed his sword down in front of Adachi's hand right before he could grab the gun. Yu smirked and leaned his head back as he saw Adachi look up with a terrified yell at the giant copy of his own Persona. ″Tol... told you I...″ Yu lowered his head and groaned as his body continued to throb. ″That hurt...″

Yu's Persona looked over at the drawbridge and than back at Yu. 'Chie's shadow is locking us out.'

″What?″ Yu looked over at the drawbridge just as it slammed shut.

Supporting himself on the wall Yu pulled himself up, only to feel a wave of dizziness run through his body. Collapsing back down Yu heard a soft laugh coming from the bleeding man close to him. "Well, looks like we're both pretty screwed huh?" Adachi forced himself to sit and he began to frown as he held his bleeding shoulder more tightly.

'Yu, I suspect that you'll be needing some healing rather soon.' Looking over his shoulder Izanagi saw Adachi's Persona lifting the ex-cop into his arms. 'Teddie isn't anywhere near at the moment, and I am certain he won't be getting hear in a timely fashion.'

Adachi's Persona threw its sword at a window, and with a crash it was broken. Adachi looked over at Yu and gave him a smirk. Before Yu or Izanagi could respond, Adachi and his Persona leaped up into the broken window disappearing from sight.

″Shit!″ Yu tried to get back up, and this time found himself able to stand, though his Persona stood by his side as he began to teeter about. ″We have to get in there!″ Yu grabbed his head and groaned. ″Augh... my head.″ Yu looked up at Izanagi, who lifted him up in a similar fashion as Adachi's Persona.

'Let's hurry on than.' As Izanagi began to prepare his legs to jump his arms tightened around Yu. 'We'll find something to heal you up in there.'

″How do you know that?″ Yu asked as he leaned his head into Izanagi's chest.

'You already know the answer.' Izanagi than leaped into the broken window.

″I suppose so... but I'd still like to know what this other part of you is. The part that isn't me.″ Yu looked down the hall and suddenly felt his Persona speed off down it. ″Oh God...″ Yu rested his head into Izanagi again. ″I'm not feeling good...″

'All will be well soon enough.' Izanagi than kicked a door down and put Yu down near the entrance. 'I'll return as soon as I can. Try not to bleed out.'

Yu grinned and nodded. "I'll do my best." Izanagi shut the door and disappeared. Holding tightly to his arm Yu looked around the empty room.

'_Is this castle from Yukiko, or someone else?_' sighing Yu laid his head down on the floor. '_I hope he does get back soon..._' Lifting his hand from his arm Yu flushed at seeing it red and sticky. '_I need to figure out how not to almost get killed every time I get in here...' _sighing Yu lowered his hand and looked at the wall across from him. '_Okay, lets focus. Yukiko is unconscious. Chie's shadow has come out, and she is likely going to become unconscious. Adachi is running around this place looking for them. I am bleeding out as I wait for my Persona to get something to help me.'_ With his good arm Yu forced himself to sit up. Raising up his hand he began to clench it. '_Another side of myself... the mask I wear in conflict...'_ taking a deep breath Yu began to look into himself. '_I am terrified, but I need to be strong. I need to stay focused.'_ Yu nodded his head and began to stand up, though he still felt wobbly. Looking down he saw he had made a little pool of blood. Bringing his hand down Yu tightly grabbed his arm and shook his head. '_I won't die here. Too many people are counting on me. I'm counting on me. I'll die if it can help the others, but I won't die if it hurts others.'_ Raising his hand back up to the sky Yu let out a calm breath. ″Persona...″

Yu felt his face tingling and in a blue flash Yu grew dizzy and collapsed. Instead of hitting the ground Yu felt someone grab his arm. 'I am thou. Thou art I. Now lets go kick ass.' Yu felt himself thrown onto something and began to fly off.

″I think I'm going to throw up.″ Yu felt his head as the world began to spin.

'Not while we're flying your not!' The speed increased.

Without a chance to get his bearings Yu's vision continued to blur and spin. ″Stop or I swear I will puke all over you!″ Yu heard a groan and he was let down to the ground. Laying there Yu began to gag as the world continued to spin. After vomiting Yu could vaguely see the image of a tall figure standing before him.

'It would appear you were impatient to get your healing.' said a buzzing voice. Yu felt someone pull his head back and pop something into his mouth. As he felt a strange energy usher away all his ills and his vision began to clear. In front of him was Izanagi, who had his arms crossed. 'So... who is that?'

Yu looked over his shoulder and saw a robot like creature hovering behind him. It's metallic hair was parted in a way to look like two horns, and its skin was entirely yellow. It wore a pink sleeveless shirt, and a black speedo. Around its neck was a pink scarf and and a ring of green leaves. At the bottom of its feet it road on two wheels of fire. 'Nata Taishi, if you don't mind.'

Yu began to grab at his head. ″Okay three voices in my head!″ Yu groaned and grabbed at his face. ″Does this mean if I summon more Persona's you'll all be talking in my head at once.″

'I don't know, we've never done this before. If you don't know, how could I?' Nata Taishi and Yu than looked over at Izanaagi.

'What?' he backed away as the two walked up to him.

″You aren't entirely me, so perhaps you have some Intel on this I am not aware of.″ Yu looked over at Nata Taishi and they both nodded in agreement.

'I don't know how you've come to control me as it is. Do you really think I would know about this little side of you... though I must say you are proving to be a more interesting person than I originally assumed.' Izanagi crossed his arms and nodded. 'Very interesting.'

'Enough of this!' Nata Taishi stomped his foot causing the fire to sputter about on the ground. 'We need to help some people, and we don't have time to be talking with ourselves.'

'Agreed...' Izanagi looked at Yu who was now climbing on to Nata Taishi, who was revving his wheels. ' I suspect you won't be needing me at the moment so... I'll be resting for a bit.' Before Yu could stop him Izanagi turned into a card and returned to his chest.

″Sheesh... we're fighting a lot of people today... didn't he think he could have been useful.″ saying that Yu suddenly felt himself fly off with Nata Taishi. ″Wow!″ Yu grinned down at his Persona and nodded his head. ″Right, lets find Chie and Yukiko first.″

'Feeling badass right now?' Nata Taishi asked as he swerved around a corner and blasted off faster.

″I've been feeling pretty good all things considered today.″ Yu and Nata Taishi than came upon some stairs which they lunged across landing with a heavy thud on the next floor.

After the two had road through the castle for a while Yu and Nata Taishi saw a healed Adachi and his Persona chasing after Shadow Chie who in turn had some shadows that looked like girls from Yasogami carrying Chie and Yukiko. Yukiko herself was beginning to glow with a dark energy which wavered about like a fog.

″Faster you idiots!″ Shadow Chie yelled as she ushered the shadow Yasogami girls into a room to the side of the hall. ″Stay in there, I'll deal with this asshole.″

″Who do you think you are keeping me from my pleasures!″ Adachi yelled as he sent his Persona at the Shadow Chie. As the sword struck against Shadow Chie, sparks began to fly across the room. ″Just kill that bitch!″

Yu jumped off Nata Taishi right as he rammed into Adachi slamming the psychotic cop into a wall and knocking him out. 'Get into that room, I'll keep these two distracted. Chie's Shadow doesn't seem to be fully awoken yet so it won't be too much for me.'

Yu nodded and ran into the room where he saw the Yasogami shadows cowering in a corner with Yukiko and Chie. As Yu walked over to the two unconscious girls he heard a heavy thud and felt something hit him in the back. Now fallen on the ground Yu looked up and saw Shadow Chie having landed on him. Groaning she looked down and saw Yu. Frowning she hit his head into the ground disorienting him as she walked over him to get at Chie and Yukiko.

″Let's get moving before those freaks catch back up with us.″ The Yasogami shadows lifted the two unconscious girls back up and began to follow after Shadow Chie.

Before leaving the room Yu lunged at her legs and sent the Shadow Chie to the ground. ″Your not going anywhere!″

″Get off of me you perv!″ Shadow Chie than began to wiggle out of Yu's grip around her legs. Looking over to the two shadow girls she motioned them over to Yu. ″A little help would be nice!″ The two shadows looked at each other and put down the two girls. As they did Yukiko began to stir. ″Get him off already!″

Yukiko groggily looked over at the strange scene before her than to her side where she saw Chie. ″What... what is...″ Sitting up Yukiko's dark glowing energy began to intensify. ″Is this...″

The Shadows and Yu both stopped their fighting and looked over at Yukiko who was now enveloped in darkness. As the darkness moved away from Yukiko it flew off to somewhere else in the castle. After it left Shadow Chie than kicked Yu in the head making him black out for a second.

″Grab them and lets get out of here!″ Shadow Chie yelled as she slammed the door open just to get herself toppled to the ground by Adachi's unconscious body which was tossed at her. ″Damn it!″

Nata Taishi came into the room and surveyed the scene of the two shadow girls trying to pick Yukiko and Chie back up, but Yukiko was currently fighting them off. Yukiko looked over at the robot man and her face flushed. ″Whatever is going on here please, just leave us alone!″

Yu got up and walked over to Yukiko's side helping her keep the shadows at bay. Admittedly due to their timidness it proved to be much easier than dealing with Shadow Chie. Yu smiled at Nata Taishi as he rolled over to Shadow Chie who was being pinned to the ground by both Adachi, and Nata Taishi who was now sitting on them both. ″I see you took care of Adachi's Persona.″

'For now anyway... so... what now?'

Yu looked over at Yukiko who was looking completely horrified at the circumstance. ″I think you need a bit of an explanation.″

″That'd be nice.″ Yukiko said as she smacked one of the shadow girls' hands away. ″Quit it already!″


	16. Saki's First Trip

Saki and Nanako walked up to the Dojima's residence, all the while Nanako was trying to ignore Saki's presence by her side. ″Thank you for bringing me over Nanako-Chan.″ Saki knelt down smiling at Nanako and shook her hand. ″It's very much appreciated.″

Blushing she tore her hand away. ″Welcome...″ Nanako walked into the living room and looked over at Saki, who had begun to head over to the stairs.

″His rooms the one at the end of the hall on the second story, right?″ Saki pulled back her hair and looked over at Nanako, who was glaring down at her lap.

A crinkle came over her brows. ″I told you already...″

″Sorry, sorry...″ Saki raised her hands up and her smile began to weaken. ″Just wanted to make sure. Thanks again.″

″Whatever.″ Nanako turned on the TV. She stared at it with less interest in what she was viewing and more interest in snubbing Saki by omission from this point on.

″Are you all right?″ Nanako did not respond. Saki sighed and began to walk up the stairs. Her facade of a smile completely melted away and her face began to show the same annoyance Nanako had. ″Nice kid.″ As Saki entered into Yu's room she walked over to the TV, but before entering in she glanced over at a little trophy. ″Number One Teddie Fighter?″ before becoming to distracted Saki slapped her face. ″No, focus. TV world... TV world...″

Saki than looked at the screen and grimaced. ″So, I just touch it?″ Laying her hands flat on the screen Saki waited for a few seconds, than they sunk in. Smirking she began to carefully get in when something suddenly crunched down on one of her hands. ″OW!″ Lurching back Saki looked at her hand and saw a large bite mark with some blood. Looking back to the television Saki clenched her teeth. ″If that bear did this I swear...″

″Who's there!? Who dares enter Sensei's sacred portal!?″ the sound was slightly distorted but it was obviously the bear from before.

Folding her hands together Saki took a breath and began to smile. ″Teddie, its Saki. That girl you saved?″

″How can I be sure... Sensei never set any password up or anything.″

Saki's hands began to clench together as a wave of anger began to well up in her. ″Naru-chan's in danger, you have to let me in.″

″Sensei's in danger?! Than get over here now! We gotta get moving.″

Saki's face twitched a little. ″That was quick... what happened to the password thing...″ Saki climbed into the TV, falling to the ground once she reached the other side.

″Waaah!″ Teddie began to thrash his pathetic arms about trying to get Saki to move. ″Get off!″

Saki gave a cruel smirk upon realizing she had landed on the bear. Quickly though, she snapped out of it and took on a kinder visage. ″Oh! I'm sorry.″ Saki blushed and quickly got off and helped the bear up.

″Why, thank you beary much miss Saki.″ Teddie's former freak-out seemed to have passed away and gave way to sincere gratitude.

″You switch emotions awfully fast.″ Saki pulled back some of her hair and began to look around the area. ″Let's go find Naru-chan.″

″Oh! First...″ Teddie popped open his head.

″Gah!″ Saki jumped back and watched in disgust as Teddie's arms began to rummage about in his insides. ″I knew you were hollow... but wow...″

Taking out some beige framed glasses Teddie popped his head back on. ″Here it is! Hmm? You okay miss Saki?″

Saki sighed and took the glasses. ″Its nothing...″ Once the glasses were on Saki gasped. ″Oh my gosh! It's gorgeous in here.″ Teetering about Saki looked at all the statues that were lined about.

″Enough enjoying the scenery! Grrrr!″ Teddie stomped his foot and placed his hands on his... hips. ″You said Sensei needed help! Lets go! But let me check where he is first...″ Teddie lifted his head in the air and began to sniff.

Quietly Saki looked at the statues of men holding globes, a strange feeling began to well in her. '_So, the shopping district... the alcohol shop... it all came from me. Did... this come from Yu?_' Looking further down the hall of gigantic statues Saki saw a tall and dark tower. ″What is that?″

″Found him!″ Teddie clapped his hands together and pointed off in the direction opposite the tower. ″He's that-a-way! And there are a lot of other people with him too.″ Teddie than ran off. ″I'm coming Sensei!″

″Ack! Teddie wait for me!″ Saki than quickly began to run after the bear. As the two ran the world around them began to blur and swim around them. ″What is...″ Reaching out she touched some of the light and watched as it began to flow over her like the water of a stream. After it faded away Saki found herself staring at a cobblestone wall. ″Did we... change areas?″ Saki looked to her side and saw a large castle with its drawbridge raised.

″He's in there!″ Teddie point over to the castle and ran up to the drawbridge. ″Ergh! Come on!″ Teddie began yanking on the door and kept groaning as his efforts proved pointless. ″Can the person with the actual muscles come over and help me!″ Teddie yelled as his head lolled back in agitation.

Slowly walking over, Saki looked up at the higher parts of the castle and saw a broken window. Crossing her arms she began to tap her foot. ″They could have entered in there.″ Saki pointed up at the window, but Teddie kept yanking on the drawbridge. ″Teddie...″ Saki walked over to him and gently stopped him. ″I think we should try and get through that window.″

Teddie looked at where Saki was referring and pouted. ″But... its so high. I don't think I have a ladder on me.″

″Let me try something.″ Saki stepped back and just stared up at the window.

″Miss Saki? You... gonna do something?″ Teddie walked over to Saki and looked up at the window.

Saki groaned and held her face. ″How do you summon a Persona?″

″Oh that?″Teddie gave a short laugh and wapped Saki on the back. ″No worries, let ol'Teddie show you how its done.″ Teddie reached his hand out and glared at it. ″Grrr...″

Saki raised an eyebrow and held out her hand like him. ″Do I have to growl too?″

Teddie snapped out of his glare. ″Huh what?″ Teddie turned to Saki and stomped his foot. ″I'm trying to concentrate. Be quiet.″

″Oh, concentrate. Got it.″ the two than raised their hands back up and began to glare at their hands.

After a full minute of this Teddie shut his eyes and softly spoke. ″Per... so... na...″

″Persona.″ Saki repeated softly clenching her hand, and hearing a sound like breaking glass.

Teddie looked over to Saki and shook his head. ″No, not like that. This is how I saw Sensei do it once.″ Teddie lifted his hand back up and said it again. ″Per... so... na...″

″Teddie I already-″

Teddie growled and shook his head. ″No, you gotta do it like Sensei!″

'He's not that bright is he...' Jingu silently walked in front of Teddie who grew silent when he saw her before him.

″Don't say that, especially in front of him.″ Saki scolded Jingu, who was just staring at Teddie now.

Teddie slowly looked down to his paws and began to smile. ″Did... I just summon that?″

″Teddie...″ Saki sighed and held her head.

″All right Persona! Get us up there!″ Jingu just stood there glaring down at the bear. Teddie cleared his throat and pointed up to the broken window. ″Get us up there... now!″ Jingu rolled her glowing eyes and crossed her arms. ″I am your summoner! Do as I-″

'Shush chatty monkey.' Jingu held up her sheathed sword and bopped Teddie on the head with it.

″Ow!″ Teddie fell over and began to whine. ″Help!″

'This little wuss helped save you?' Jingu scoffed and looked over to the castle; shaking her head she shrugged.

″Okay... so it isn't my Persona.″ Teddie flipped back up and nodded his head. ″Well that's about all I can teach you. Let's get in there and save Sensei!″

Jingu turned back and motioned Saki over. 'Let's get going.'

Once at Jingu's side, Saki was scooped up and the two flew off into the air through the broken window. ″Thanks. Now, you can get Teddie.″

Jingu looked over her shoulder at the little bear who was staring in awe at the epic jump he had just witnessed. ″That was amazing miss Saki! You're almost as cool as Sensei!″

'We could leave him you know.' Jingu looked at Saki pleadingly.

″You know we might need him.″ Saki smirked and nudged her head towards him. ″Got to admit he's kinda cute, despite being a little obnoxious.″

'Reminds you of anyone?' Saki sighed and looked down the hall that they had just entered.

″Just get the bear...″

Jingu jumped back down and grabbed Teddie by the scruff of his back. Twirling about for a second, Teddie wailing the whole while, Jingu launched the poor bear into the window. Saki side stepped and watched as he flew into the wall across from the window.

″Ahhh!″ Teddie cried as he rolled about on the ground.″Why is it being so mean to me?″

'Because you keep calling me it!' Jingu had jumped back in and began to stretch her back. 'Sheesh, he's a real whiny little piece of work isn't he?'

Saki crossed her arms and began to glare at Jingu. ″Don't say that in front of him. And you should apologize for tossing him around like that.″ Saki looked over to Teddie and bowed. ″I'm sorry for all her insults and hindrances against you. I assure you I'll try to make her more polite in the future."

″Uh, miss Saki? No one's been insulting me.″ Teddie had gotten back up and hobbled over. ″Though an apology for all of those cruel acts against my gorgeous fur is much appreciated.″

″Didn't you hear what she said? Like all the stuff about...″ Saki cautiously looked over at Teddie who shook his head.

″Uh... miss Saki, your Persona hasn't talked at all since you summoned it.″

'Her! Quit saying it! Ya little punching bag.' Jingu than kicked Teddie, who fell backwatds and came back up similar to the object he was compared to.

″This could take some getting used to.″ Saki murmured as she held her head. ″So, you don't hear her... at all?″

″I told you already no. Now, lets get back to our mission.″ Teddie began to sniff around than growled. ″Sensei! He went that way, and I smell some other people too!″ Teddie than went off at a run leaving Saki and Jingu behind.

″He really could turn that energy down a smidgen.″ Saki quickly ran after the bear as her Persona just glided beside her.

'You can say that again.' Jingu grabbed Saki and began to glide off at a faster pace than before. Once they caught back up with Teddie, Jingu matched his speed and the two rushed through the castle till they stopped at a wide open door. Inside was Yu, Yukiko, a comatose Chie, two shadows of girls from Yasogami, and a pile of bodies that was being sit upon by a strange robot man.

″Oh, oh Sensei!″ Teddie cried and ran in knocking the shadow girls aside as he tackled Yu to the ground. ″Is everything all right? I was so worried.″

Yukiko began to giggle, though she sounded a bit tired. ″So, I'm guessing this is Teddie?″

Hearing the voice Teddie turned about and looked Yukiko over. ″Oh, hello.″ Teddie bowed to Yukiko. ″It is a pleasure to meet you miss, I am the student of the great Sensei.″

″Yu-kun mentioned something about that.″ Yukiko looked over at Yu who was smiling awkwardly as he got back to his feet. ″Along with a lot of other things.″

Yu walked over to Saki, who had watched Jingu run off the shadow girls before they could return to their futile attempts of recapturing Chie and Yukiko. ″Thanks for coming Saki.″ Yu rubbed the back of his head and looked behind himself at Yukiko who was still talking with Teddie. ″Everything is currently under control, but I think Yukiko's shadow is somewhere in this castle now... and Chie's is still out of Chie's control. I think her shadow knocked her out or something.″

Looking over at the unconscious girl Saki walked over to her and opened one of Chie's eye lids to see her eyes rolled back into her skull. ″Teddie, do you...″

″So than I jumped from roof top to roof top trying to keep up when-″

″Teddie!″ Saki snapped. ″Get over here.″

Teddie bowed to Yukiko who watched with an air of curiosity as Teddie headed over to Saki. ″What's up?″

″Do you have anything I can use to help Chie?″

″Yep! One second.″ Teddie popped open his head and with that Yukiko let out a gasp. Both Yu and Saki looked over to Yukiko and shrugged. Looking back to Teddie they watched as he pulled out a needle. ″Time for some revitalization!″

Yu's mouth dropped as he watched Teddie sink the needle into Chie's arm. ″What are you putting in her?!″

″Stimulant of course.″ Teddie nonchalantly tossed the needle away making everyone else watch in horror as it was about to hit the floor. To their surprise it just disappeared when it struck the floor. ″a-Three... a-two... a-one...″

″Aaah!″ Chie gasped as she bolted up, grabbing her face. Looking around the room she looked from Teddie to Saki to Nata Taishi to everyone else. ″What... what just happened?″

"It's okay, Naru-chan has everything under control right now." Saki gently rested her hands on Chie's shoulder. "Take it easy."

Chie's eyes slowly moved away from Saki and turned to the woman staring at her from underneath Adachi. "So, you've finally woken up. Sheesh, you had to get help from that little thing." Shadow Chie nudged her head to Teddie and smirked. "Gotta say, I am very disappointed in you. Leaning onto others like always."

"Shut up!" Chie tried to smack at her shadow, but Saki held her back.

"Chie, calm down, she can't hurt you." Saki moved herself into Shadow Chie's line of sight.

Yukiko walked over to get a better look at Shadow Chie and than looked back to Chie. "It's all right, Yu-kun told me about these things."

"He did?" Chie looked over at Yu who walked over with Teddie. "How long was I out."

"A lot longer than Yukiko, that's for sure. Can't believe you let dainty little Yukiko get up before you. You know how much stronger you are than her. This must really eat you up inside." Before Shadow Chie could continue Saki turned about and struck her in the face, with her foot.

"Just shut up already!" Saki snarled.

Shadow Chie stared at Saki with a severe amount of hatred, her hands clenching worthlessly at the floor before her. "Don't you dare hit me." Shadow Chie than swiftly grabbed at Saki's leg and began to twist it.

"Argh!"Saki tried to pull herself back but Chie's shadow had too strong a grip. Yukiko and Yu rushed over and pulled her arms off of Saki who quickly crawled away.

"See! You're all pathetic not a one of you can take me on by yourself." Shadow Chie smiled and looked at Chie who was now back in her range of vision. "It's a good thing we got Yukiko back huh?"

"What? Of course it is." Chie began to stand up, her eyes locked with her shadow's. Off to the side Teddie was giving Saki something for her leg while Yu and Yukiko stood at either side of the shadow.

"I suggest you take Chie out of here before things escalate too far." Yu motioned for his Persona to get up and take Chie out.

"No, I want to stay!" Chie stepped back as Nata Taishi reached out for her hand.

"Yu!" Saki was about to stand up but fell back down grabbing at her leg. Some of the seeds she was about to take fell from her hand.

Yu ducked himself down right as a kick came flying at his head. Chie came running over and with a swift strike with her own foot struck her shadow in the leg. Together they were locked in mid kick. "I won't let you hurt anyone here!" Chie shouted as she released the two of them from the kick.

"You need this don't you..." Shadow Chie darkly said right before Jingu and Nata Taishi pinned her back to the ground. "You need to have someone weaker than you."

"Shut up!" Chie yelled and stomped her foot.

"Your getting out of here now Chie!" Yu grabbed at Chie's arm but was swiftly struck in the face with a spinning kick from Chie.

"No!" Before she realized what had happened she had slammed Yu into the ground. "Oh God, Yu!" kneeling down Chie checked him over right as her shadow began to laugh. Yukiko ran over to Chie and helped support Yu up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I was freaking out and... and..."

"Always hurting the ones you want to protect?" Shadow Chie's mouth was than covered by Jingu who glared over at Saki.

'Can I just stab her?' Jingu nudged her head towards her sword.

Saki looked at everyone who were freaking out and nodded her head calmly. "Do it now."

Before anyone could say anything Jingu pulled the sword out and stabbed Shadow Chie in the chest make her let out a pained "Urk" Instead of blood she began to glow with a dark energy and became a dark cloud. Flying out the door everyone was left in the room just silently looking over at where it had left.

Yu got back up and looked over at Saki. "Thank you for that." running his hand through his hair he sighed and stood up. "Well now that we no longer have to worry about her for the time being we can finally calmly figure out..."

Yukiko than raised her hand.

"Yes Yukiko?" Yu calmly asked as he placed his hands behind his back.

Yukiko looked over at the door and grimaced. "That cop that kidnapped me is kind of gone."

Slowly Yu looked over to the door than looked down to his feet. "Well shit."


	17. Dual Shadows, Dual Talks

″He's so soft...″ Yukiko gently caressed Teddie's fur causing him to purr. ″Oh, you like that?″

Teddie gave a dreamy sigh and leaned his head on Yukiko's lap. ″Tell me how cute I am again.″

″Dude, it kind of sad to be so blatant when your fishing for compliments.″ Chie stared down at the bear who looked up at her, sadly pouting.

″But, I've never had anyone say such nice things to me before!″

″Oh, you mean you've been bullied?″ Yukiko patted Teddie's head sympathetically. ″You poor thing.″

″Not even that, I've been all by myself for as long as I can remember.″ Teddie smiled and shut his eyes as he contently let Yukiko pet him some more. ″Yeah behind the ears...″ Chie rolled her eyes, but began to scratch him there. ″Oh! Oh yes! That feels nice, I could never reach up there before.″

″Never met anyone before huh?″ Yu rubbed the bruise on his face as he glared at the bear. Standing by the door Yu and Saki stood guard, their Personas walking up and down the hall making sure everything was clear. Sighing Yu looked down and began to dance on the balls of his feet.

″Think we should head out soon?″ Saki looked around the hall cautiously, a hand tightly holding her hair back. ″I mean... we gotta find their shadows don't we?″

″What?″ Yu looked over to Saki and cocked his head. ″I was thinking of getting us all out of here, as soon as possible.″

″Shouldn't they face themselves though? Can they leave when an aspect of their personality is trapped in here?″ Saki looked back at the two girls who who were still petting Teddie.

″I... I don't know.″ Yu held his head and groaned. '_Is there gonna be some kind of psychic back lash or something? Would they become zombies if they leave without part of themselves? I still have every part of myself. Saki does too. Should I really risk staying here longer with Chie and Yukiko? Who knows what could happen. What about Adachi? He's still out there._' Sliding down the side of the door frame Yu held his head. ″I don't know Saki...″

Kneeling down Saki rested a hand on Yu's shoulder and brushed some hair out of his face with the other. ″It's okay. We're new to this. We can figure things out as we go along.″ Grabbing his hands Saki forced Yu back to his feet. ″The way I see it is that we know that they can control their shadows if they are willing to accept them. We don't know if they can leave without them. It's safer that we just get them to face themselves and get it over with. As long as they don't start denying themselves it'll be okay.″

Yu looked over at Yukiko and Chie and than back to Saki. ″I guess that's true...″ Taking a deep breath he composed himself. ″Okay lets get moving." Yu clapped his hands together and looked directly at Teddie, Chie, and Yukiko. "Hey guys, listen up!″

The three looked over at Yu surprised. ″What's is it Yu-kun?″ Yukiko's hand slowly drifted off of Teddie into her lap. ″Is it safe to head out?″

″We're going to be heading deeper into the castle.″ Yu pointed down the hall, his demeanor that of a commanding officer.

″What? But I have to get back to the inn! Their all probably freaking out right now.″ Yukiko stood up causing Teddie to roll off her and thud his head on the ground. ″Sorry Teddie...″

"Ow... it's okay Yukiko-chan... ow..." Teddie began to roll around on the floor holding his head.

Chie crossed her arms and stared defiantly at Yu. ″We got Yukiko, why not cut our loses and hurry back?″

"Well..." Yu blushed and stood as a commanding officer being demoted. Chie stormed over to Yu, fists tightened. "Well you see..." Yu felt his hands slide behind his back and began to hold them tightly.

"Well what?! Spit it out Yu!" Chie got in Yu's face, her agitation seeming to pour from her into Yu.

Furrowing his brows Yu pushed Chie back. "Would you back off! You'd be dead if it wasn't for me!"

Chie looked surprised at Yu but nodded her head. "Yeah well... that is true. Sorry." Crossing her arms Chie looked over at Yukiko who was watching silently. "I just want to get Yukiko home as soon as possible." Turning back Chie stomped her foot. "Why can't we just leave though?"

″Because we don't know how safe it will be to leave here without your shadows.″ Saki stepped by Yu's side.

Yu smiled as he felt Saki place a supportive hand on his shoulder. Nodding his head he looked over his shoulder. "Nata Taishi. Please come here.″ Looking back to the Chie he took on a solemn face. "These shadows are the darkest part of you. Emphasis on you. You may lie about it. You may ignore it. You may even try and deny it is even you. But remember. It is you.″

Chie and Yukiko looked over at each. Yukiko slowly looked down to her feet and grimaced. Teddie had stopped rolling on the floor and was looking up at Yukiko. ″It's true you know. This castle too. It's all from you Yukiko-chan.″

″This castle is from me?″ Yukiko began to shake her head. ″But, I could never dream up such a place.″

″Don't say that.″ Teddie popped up to his feet and grinned. ″I can tell, this place gives off the same smell as you Yukiko-chan. Its just as sweet as you!″ Teddie leaned his head against Yukiko and sighed contently.

″Thanks Teddie.″ Yukiko petted his head and smiled gently down at him.

″Oh brother...″ Chie sighed and face palmed. ″Don't encourage him Yukiko.″

Once everyone was paying attention to the two Persona users again, Saki motioned toward Jingu who came in with Nata Taishi. ″This is my shadow, or was. She has become a Persona, a power that you harness when you conquer your shadow.″ Saki looked back to Chie and Yukiko. ″The shadow is a part of yourself you will not want to admit to, especially with other people around. Understand though, this is very vital. If you deny your shadow it will attack us. Me and Yu almost died when we last faced my shadow. Imagine two shadows at once.″

″Where do we have to go to find them?″ Chie looked over at Yukiko and placed an arm around her shoulder. ″We don't have to beat them into submission first, do we?″

″No, you just have to accept that they are in fact a part of you. In theory anyway. This will be our first time doing it with all the information we now have.″ Yu walked over to Teddie and placed his hand hands on the bear's shoulders. ″We may need your help again, so don't leave the group.″

″You can count on me Sensei!″ Teddie saluted Yu and ran to the door. ″I'll be sure to keep any nasties from getting at these two lovely ladies!″

″That's so brave of you Teddie.″ Yukiko walked up from behind Teddie and petted his head. ″Thanks.″

″Oh! Hoo hoo...″ Teddie turned about and blushed. ″Maybe a little more of your sweet caresses?″

Saki grimaced and looked up to Jingu who nudged her head towards her sword. Sighing Saki shook her head. ″No, just ignore him. Please.″

Walking over to Teddie, Yu knelt down and grabbed Teddie's shoulder. ″Not that I don't appreciate the offer Teddie but could you let me or Saki take up the front?″

″Oh, want me to take the rear?″ Teddie than began to run to the back.

″Actually... you should leave that to me or Saki too.″ Yu stood up and rubbed the back of his head. ″You stand close by with Chie and Yukiko.″

″Wha?!″ Teddie looked over at Yu aghast. ″Sensei?! I can help, really I can!″

Yu looked sardonically at Teddie and gently flicked his head making Teddie fall onto his back.

Teddie groaned, struggling to get back on his feet. Once he did he resignedly walked over to Chie and Yukiko

″Point taken Sensei... I'm too much of a liability...″

″It's okay Teddie, the sentiment is appreciated.″ Yukiko gently patted his head.

Chie smirked and patted his shoulder. ″You've got enthusiasm. I'll give you that much.″

Teddie grinned and looked at the two girls at either side of him. ″Maybe this won't be so bad.″

Saki's eye twitched and she raised a hand to Jingu. "Stop it now. Just cause he can't hear doesn't mean you should be so up front about it." She blushed and looked to the group, who were staring at her confused. ″Please just ignore us... Yu I'll be taking the rear.″ Quietly she walked to the back with her Persona following with her arms crossed.

Yu nodded and headed to the front. Nata Taishi rolled up to Yu's side and looked down at him with a supportive look. 'So, you feeling up to leading these guys through the castle?'

Yu took a deep breath and nodded. ″Yeah... All right team! Let's move out.″

As they walked through the castle Yu and company kept coming across vagrant shadows who passed by thoughtlessly. Some were shaped like just people, others were men on horses. Whatever it was, they just drifted by them with no pretense of attacking them. They even came across the two shadow Yasogami High girls, who were hiding behind one of the horse riders. It wasn't until they reached the next floor that they met resistance.

Yu stopped everyone upon seeing a Yukiko dressed in a pink gall gown with matching pink opera gloves. "Oh! An entire entourage has come for little ol' me?" spinning about she began to giggle. "But... oh..." crossing her arms she pouted. "There's only two interesting candidates in this group."

"Are... are you my shadow?" Yukiko stared at herself with confusion and began to blush. ″Why are you wearing that?″

"Because I've got to wear my very best to catch myself a hot stud.″ Shadow Yukiko flipped her hair and began to walk up to the group, stopping ten feet in front of them.

″What's a stud?″ Teddie leaned over to Chie who just groaned.

″Not now Teddie.″ She gently patted his head and than walked in front of Yukiko.

"Oh, Chie. I'm so happy that you came along.″ Shadow Yukiko smiled and clapped her hands. ″You make for such a perfect knight.″

Suddenly turning from the corner at the end of the hall there appeared Chie's shadow, dressed in a fancy prince like outfit. ″Shall we be off?″ Shadow Chie reached out her hand to Shadow Yukiko and grinned.

″Of course, take me as far from this place as you can.″ Shadow Yukiko held to her chest and gave a dreamy sigh.

″I am your only safe haven in this world of woe. I will _always_ be here for you, for you will always need me.″ Shadow Chie grabbed Shadow Yukiko's hand and the two turned to the group and bowed. ″See ya round, dumb-asses.″

″Oh Chie!″ Shadow Yukiko laughed right as she was pulled away with Shadow Chie, disappearing behind the corner.

"Wait!" Yu and his group ran after Shadow Yukiko and Chie, Shadow Yukiko laughing madly as she lead them through the castle floor. "Nata Taishi!" Yu pointed his Persona towards the two runners and he was off leaving a trail of fire behind him.

″Jingu, stop them!″ Saki motioned her Persona on and Jingu was right behind Nata Taishi.

As the group chased after the two shadows they discovered that they didn't seem to be going anywhere. Each turn lead to a new turn, there seemed no end to the running. And no matter how fast Nata Taishi and Jingu seemed to be going, they always lagged behind.

After making another turn the group froze and watched as Shadow Chie and Yukiko began to ascend up into the ceiling disappearing from sight. ″This has been so much fun, but I think its time me and my prince take a rest for a bit.″ There was a flash of light and Yu found himself facing the stairs that he used to get up to this floor. "How did she do that?" Looking behind himself, he saw the entire group looking baffled. " Let's get going! Maybe if we can get to the next floor we can cut them off."

Shortly after making his first turn on the hall Yu found himself back at the stairs, his group still standing there watching him with surprise. Shadow Yukiko's laughter began echoing through the air making everyone look about cautiously. Yu and Nata Taishi both ran down the hall again. Again he was teleported to the stairs to the floor below. Shadow Yukiko's laughter again began to pervade through the air and Yu grabbed at his head and beat it on a nearby wall. ″Why is this happening, how the hell is she doing this? I know Saki's shadow could alter her version of the alcohol shop but this is getting ridiculous.″

Saki rested a hand on Yu's shoulder and looked warily at the hall ahead. "Now's not the time for freaking out. We need to think this through calmly and rationa-"

"What we need to do is get our asses in gear!" Chie began cracking her knuckles and looked over to a nearby door. Opening it up she pointed at a window inside. "We can scale the castle. We could have your Personas open it up and carry us through... through... Yukiko? What are you doing?"

Yukiko walked down the hall quietly, everyone going silent. As she got to the end of the hall she chose not to turn at the corner but instead began to push against the wall. ″Come on...″ she groaned.

Yu looked over at Yukiko and scratched his head. '_Is she trying to open a door or something? Why would... wait._' Yu looked over at the others who were watching Yukiko with baffled faces. '_If Yukiko's shadow can change the reality here than surely Yukiko could do the same._' Turning back to Yukiko he smiled. "Well... okay." Yu walked up next to Yukiko and began to push against the wall.

Yukiko looked up at Yu surprised. ″Yu-kun? What are you doing?″

Smiling he ran a hand through his hair. ″This place is made up from your mind Yukiko. I suspect you would know the best route we should take.″ Yu looked over his shoulder to the group. ″Mind helping us out?″

The others looked at each other than came over. ″Don't know how pushing on a wall will help.″ Chie said dryly as she pushed against the wall.

"This is my world right?" Yukiko grunted as she pushed her shoulder into the wall. ″I should be able to alter it however I choose. That shadow is only a part of me. I should think I have more power over this place than her.″

"Than lets put some muscle into this!" Chie ran back and ran into the wall with her shoulder. ″Come on, let's all take a running start.″ The others all backed away from the door and posed themselves. ″All right, are we ready?″ Everyone nodded and Chie took a deep breath. ″Okay... let's go!″ Everyone, the Persona's include all went running at the wall and as they hit it the wall gave way to a hidden room. Everyone fell over making a pile of bodies at the entrance. ″Success!″ Chie shouted pumping a fist into the air.

"What in the world?" Shadow Yukiko was sitting on a throne. Shadow Chie, sword in hand, looked equally as baffled. "How did you get up here so fast? There were like five more floors." Shadow Yukiko frowned and looked at Yukiko as she and her group all got back to their feet. Shrugging Shadow Yukiko looked over to Shadow Chie. "What do you want to do now?"

Shadow Chie ran her hand through her hair and smirked. "Well, seeing as these idiots want to fight so badly.″ Brandishing her sword Shadow Chie leered down at the group. ″Let's give it to them.

Chie grated her teeth and stomped her foot. "I'm game, let's get at it!" Chie took on her kung-fu stance only to be ignored.

"I can't fight though. I'm far too weak to do anything. Please go forth and take them out of my sight." Shadow Yukiko leaned back into her chair and yawned. ″I'm so very fragile. Anyone cans see _that_.″

"Hey, I don't act like that." Yukiko looked over at Chie and frowned. ″Do I?″

″Of course not. Its just that you need help with some things.″ Chie slapped her mouth as she heard Shadow Chie laugh.

"That's right, she's always so weak. Always in need of me to protect you. Poor little Yukiko, from the day I met you I saw you couldn't do anything for yourself. Yukiko the perfect woman. So demure, so polite, so beautiful, so thin, so pale, so fragile. Not like me. So unladylike. No guy would ever be caught dead with me. But they drool all over you. But you needed me, isn't that a laugh. You, the perfect woman. You had all the boys at your feet, but not once did you think to use it to your advantage. Instead you looked to me. Always looking to me for help and answers. Just like it should always be." Chie's face blushed and looked over at Yukiko who was also blushing.

″Yukiko that's not...″ Before Chie could finish her shadow continued.

″But the truth is, I'm the weak one.″ tossing the sword to her side Shadow Chie crossed her arms. ″I need you, without you I'd be worthless. I need someone weak to protect. I need someone pathetic. Like you.″Shadow Chie looked over to Shadow Yukiko and grinned. ″My princess.″

″Shut up!″ Chie shouted and stomped her foot.

"It's not like those boys could do anything to help me. When it comes down to it none of them could possibly help me." Shadow Yukiko held her chest and began to swoon about. "How I dream of the day my knight will come and take me away from all of this." Shadow Yukiko frowned glared down at Yukiko. "I just sit on my _ass_ waiting for someone else to make decisions for me. I won't lift a finger. Everything is decided for me from where I live to where I die." Shadow Yukiko scoffed and pushed Shadow Chie away. "You're not even good enough. When it comes down to it I may never get the prince I desire. The one that can take me away from this _dungeon_." Shadow Yukiko crossed her arms and laughed. "Youngest inn manager in Japan? One day I'm gonna take full control of the inn, as is my destiny? What a bunch of bull shit! I don't want to have anything to do with this. I wish the inn would just go bankrupt! Everyone destitute, at least than I'd be forced to make an effort for once in my life."

"How dare you. I would never say something like that. Your not-" before she could finish Yu grabbed her mouth. "Mph!"

"Yukiko, that is you. She is the side of you that you ignore and deny. Don't deny it. Don't make her go all _blargh Ima kill you!_" Yu let her mouth go. Sighing he stepped back and watched what was about to take place.

Yukiko looked down to her feet. ″I... I'm not... I... I'm sorry I... I'm such a horrible person aren't I.″ Yukiko began to cry and began rubbing her eyes. ″I guess I really do think that stuff... sometimes at least... I just.″ A hand touched her shoulder.

To Yukiko's side was an equally distraught Chie. "I'm sorry Yukiko."

"Chie?" Yukiko looked down to the hand and covered it with her own. "Why are you sorry? I am weak and pathetic like you shadow said. I've just been using you. I'm sorry."

"I've been using you too. Without you I feel worthless. I always wished I could be like you. Get everyone's attention. Be the pinnacle of beauty. I guess I just want to feel like I have an effect over people. I try to keep you from dating cause I don't want you to end up close to anyone else. I'm selfishly hoarding you to myself." Chie began to cry too and hugged Yukiko

"I've thought about how you've been becoming a nuisance... I... I couldn't stand that I was falling into a rut with you. It felt like nothing was changing anymore. Like when we first met" Yukiko frowned and leaned her head into Chie's shoulder. "I... really won't stand up for myself. All I do is act quiet and do what I am told. The only way anything will change is if I am told to by someone else. I won't act on anything without someone to push me along..."

The two girls looked over to the shadows, who were looking smugly at each other. "You are me..." Chie said reaching her hand out to her shadow. "I really do find myself seeing Chie as a way to make myself feel better. A way to boost my ego."

"And I never act on my own. I just let others push me around, because I'm too worried to make my own choices. To fail at my own hand. The perfect young woman who is demure, only acts when told to..." Yukiko reached out her hand towards her shadow. "You are me."

Both shadows nodded and began to glow with a blue light that emanated from both Chie and Yukiko. Both Shadows began to speak in unison. "I am thou, thou art I. The strength to accept one's self gives you the power to control one's self." They became enveloped in the light and began to transform.

Chie's shadow became a lean but highly muscular woman dressed in a yellow and black jumpsuit. Her helmet was oddly shaped, like a shark fin, and at the transparent part all that could be seen was a pair of red lips and yellow glowing eyes. From her helmet jutted out a series of ribbon, almost like hair. She wore a strange skirt made of defensive pads. In her arms she wielded a long staff with a blade at either end of it.

Yukiko's shadow change into a sentai esque figure with two yellow eyes that could be seen over her helmet. Flowers were decked on either side of her head, and as one looked her over you would see her legs end in little points instead of feet. Chained to her arms were some metalic flowers that draped around her like a boa. The main color scheme of this Persona was pink and white, with the occasional black and gold.

As these two Persona's levitated to their respective person they bowed.

"I am Tomoe Gozen."

"I am Konohana Sakuya."

"You may call on us whenever you have need for our aid." The Persona's both glowed blue and turned into cards that went into the two girl's chests. Yu and Saki both quickly grabbed Yukiko and Chie as they collapsed.

"Good job guys. Didn't have to battle any more beasties today." Yu grinned and helped Chie to her feet.

"No problem Yu..." holding her head Chie gave a tired sigh and looked over to Yukiko. Smiling she reached her hand out to hers. "Let's go home Yukiko."

While the group made there way out of the castle Saki leaned over to Yu and whispered into his ear. ″_Are they like a couple? I'm not entirely sure._″

Yu's face grew blank and he looked down to Chie who was holding Yukiko's hand to her cheek. ″_Honestly? I have no idea._″


	18. Calling at Three am, and An Odd Walk

The blaring alarm sent Yu launching himself from his futon. As the clock flashed 3 am Yu grabbed his cell phone from off the table and opened it up. The quick start he gave himself began to wear off and he was rubbing his eyes. '_Okay, so it should be seven in the evening over in Germany... that's what that site said anyway.'_ Sighing Yu sat back down on his futon and began dialing. As he waited for someone to pick up he began to drum his fingers against his leg.

"Yu? A man's voice echoed through the phone, making a smile come over Yu's face. "It's the middle of the night over there isn't it?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to give you guys a call though. Some crazy stuffs been happening over here." Yu lay upon the futon and looked tiredly at the ceiling.

"That's what your mom said. Can't believe there was a murder, and a molestation."

"Attempted molestation. She fell into the TV before anything could happen like that." Yu rubbed his eyes and began to yawn.

His father began to laugh. "Yeah, your mom mentioned something about the TV world thing too."

"It's real, but I don't expect you to believe me right away. I can show you when you get back from Berlin." Yu rolled onto his stomach and stared over at his closet where he could see his laptop still open even though it was turned off. "Or... maybe I can come see you guys?"

"Oh! Glad you mentioned that. We were able to work it out and it looks like we can get you over to Germany for your summer vacation."

Yu pushed himself up to a sitting position and pumped his fist. "Yes! This is gonna be great."

"Glad that your so excited." His father cleared his throat. "So, made any friends yet? Or are you still only at the acquaintance level?"

Yu frowned and hunched over. "Well... I..." Yu began to rub the back of his head. '_Well... we're on good terms. I still don't know them too well. But after everything that's happened._' Yu smiled and nodded his head. "Yeah, I think I made a start at some friendships."

"That's wonderful Yu, I'm so happy for you. Living somewhere new is really tough, and making new friends isn't always easy."

Yu ran a hand through his hair and began to walk around the room. "I have to agree there. Becoming friends was not a simple task. Life or death situations tends to forge bonds."

"Life or... is this about that TV thing?"

Spinning about Yu pointed towards the TV and grinned. "Yep."

"Huh. Well anyway, you called to tell us something new?"

"Yep, again." Yu walked over to the window and peeked at the dark street outside. "Dojima was knocked out by the cop that was accused of assault. The same cop is also under suspicion for murder."

"My God, when did this happen?" Yu's father's tone suddenly became worried.

"The same day I called mom." Yu let go of the blinds and walked over to the table where he sat down.

"Is he all right? Why didn't you call us sooner with this?"

Yu grimaced and held his face. "Well... honestly I was kind of caught up in everything that was going. I kind of forgot about telling you guys. And yeah, Dojima's fine. He should be coming home tomorrow..." Yu looked over to his clock. "Uh, today."

Yu heard his father let out an exasperated sigh.

"What is it?" Yu heard the faint voice of his mother.

"It's Yu. Just talking about some stuff. I'll tell you later." Yu heard his father's voice become muffled, but he could still hear it.

'_Did dad just put his hand over the speaker?_' Yu blankly looked at the phone than put it against his ear again.

"It's like three in the morning over in Japan." Yu sighed as his mother's words reached him.

"I know, he had something important to tell us. Like I said, I'll tell you about it later. Can you give me some privacy Yui?"

"Whatever." Yu's mother responded with a note of sarcasm. Than Yu heard a door a click.

"Where were we." Yu's fathers voice became unmuffled.

"I still need to tell you that that cop escaped and he entered into the TV world. He kidnapped a girl so I went in there with that girl's friend and the girl I saved from earlier. We worked together and were able to save her. The kidnapped girl and her friend both gained the power Persona, the ability to wield an aspect of your personality in the TV world as a weapon. And no I am not joking." Yu waited quietly to hear his father's response.

After a long silence Yu heard a surprisingly serious tone from his father. "You haven't told Dojima about this, or anyone else, have you?"

"Um well the only other person who knows about it is this guy from school, but he saw the midnight channel so he's kind of in the loop with all of us. Nanako may be suspicious too." Yu looked over to his door and grimaced. '_Glad we went through the TV at the inn... but what if we were caught. Damn, gotta think of a better place to do this._' Yu looked down to his feet. '_We need to find a TV we can get to without the fear of someone finding out about us.._.'

"Yu!" His father's shout made Yu flinch and drop the phone.

"Oh shit!" Yu quickly grabbed it and held the phone back to his ear. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah, did you hear anything I just said?"

Yu blushed and became silent.

His father groaned. "Yu... okay, I'll repeat it. Are you listening this time? Don't start daydreaming again, okay?"

"Yeah, sorry dad." Yu began to rub his neck and bite his lower lip.

"Okay, here it is. Don't talk to Dojima about this. Or anyone else. Whether this is real or some weird delusion I don't want you telling anyone else about this. You understand."

"I wasn't planning to tell anyone else but you and mom."

"That's fine, just make sure not to tell your uncle about this. Dojima isn't the kind of guy to listen to this kind of thing. I don't want you getting into trouble with him, or anyone else. I don't want to hear that my son is being researched on by some government scientists, or was sent to an asylum." Yu's father's tone became a little more upbeat than it was before. "Okay, now with that out of the way. Thank you for telling us about this."

"No problem." Yu gave a small smile. "Got to say, I wasn't sure how you guys would take to this. I was a little worried you'd be all for saying I was crazy."

"Well maybe you are." came a teasing response.

"Oh thanks, you and mom are always so supportive." Yu nodded his head and grabbed the phone with both hands. "Seriously though, thanks you."

"Your our son. We've never known you to lie or be prone to psychosis. Maybe social anxiety, but not psychosis. No where in our family history do I see anyone with a mental disorder either. Your mother and I see this as something to listen to carefully. We aren't completely sure if this is true, but we aren't going to just shut you down over it. We trust you."

As Yu rubbed his eye he felt a tear beginning to come out. "Oh come on..."

"What is it?"

Yu laughed and wiped the tear away. "It's nothing. Just touched."

"Okay," Yu's dad laughed for a second but cleared his throat. "In any case, its a school night over there right?"

"Yeah." Yu walked back over to his futon and began to sit down on it.

"I'll be letting you go, and Yu. Please stay safe. Your mother and I worry about you, even without all this crazy business of murders and TVs. Good night, I love you. We both love you."

"Love you too dad. Tell mom that I love her too." Yu hung up and looked down at his cell. Holding it close to his chest he smiled. "Thanks. For everything."

_(Transition)_

As the morning walk progressed Yu and Nanako were again in the midst of a downpour. Passing by the Alcohol shop Yu was surprised to see two people exiting from it. "Morning Saki. I'm glad you're feeling better." Yu smiled over at her as she held an umbrella over her brother's head.

"Oh, morning Naru-kun. I didn't know you'd be taking this route. We'd usually be out earlier, but I had some trouble finding my books." Saki bent down and handed her brother the umbrella than took out her own from her little side bag. Motioning towards her brother she grinned. "This is Naoki, my little brother."

"Can we just head to school already?" Naoki grumbled as he held the umbrella low, having it touch the top of his head.

"Your not usually so keen on heading to school Naoki." Saki smiled mischievously and draped herself around his shoulder. "Forgive him, he can be a little shy."

"A lot of people tend to be. I understand." Yu bowed to Naoki. "You can go on ahead. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Naoki's eye twitched. "What? I'm not upset about this. Just do what you want. I don't care." Breaking off from the group Naoki walked away, sloshing through the watery streets.

Saki laughed and looked back to Yu. "I'm sorry, I'd say he's not usually like that but that would be a lie." Running a hand through her hair she bowed to Yu. "Maybe we can see each other after school? Give me a call if you're free."

"Sure, nice seeing you Saki-senpai." Yu grinned and waved to her as she ran after her brother, quickly glomping onto his shoulder.

"Saki quit it! People are watching." Naoki thrashed about for a moment, but gave into his fate.

"Why else would I do it?" Saki kissed his head and pointed forward. "Let's get going!"

Yu began to rub the back of his head and smiled at the two. 'Their real cute... wait a second.' Yu took off at a run, a perplexed Nanako watching wide eyed as Yu chased after Saki. "Saki wait, I don't have your number!"

"Oh." Saki stopped her brother from walking, which made him groan. "Sorry, I thought I did." Taking out her phone she turned about with her brother following suit. Taking out her cell phone she let go of Naoki. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up."

"Sure." Naoki looked over at Yu, as he slowed down in front of Saki, than looked to see Nanako running after him."Forgetting something Narukami?"

"Huh?" Yu looked over his shoulder and flushed. "Oh, Nanako!" Kneeling down he held her shoulders as she caught back up to him. "I'm so sorry Nanako, I didn't even think."

Panting Nanako pushed Yu's hands off her shoulder. "Just... do what you... were planning to." Nanako huffed and hunched over. "Your fast."

Yu grimaced and turned about to see a smirking Saki. "You know, your acting a whole lot more energetic than before."

"Hmm?" Saki pulled back some of her hair, her face blushing. "I've just been getting some rest. Nothing really big has been hanging over me thanks to all the resting I had to do... well maybe it wasn't all resting." Saki grinned at Yu and shrugged. "I really needed a break from work and school." Sighing Saki shrugged. "Don't worry, I'll be back to my normal tired self in no time." After sharing numbers Saki ran off to catch up with her brother again.

Turning his gaze from his phone to Nanako, Yu noticed his cousin was staring off at something. "What is it Nanako?"

"There's some guy staring at us." Nanako pointed across the street.

Looking up Yu heard a door slam and saw the Tatsumi Textile shop's open sign swaying back and forth. Smiling Yu ran a hand through his hair. "Don't worry about him." Yu patted Nanako's back and pointed down the street. "Let's get going."

Nanako pouted and looked back to the Textile shop. ″Okay...″

Leaving the shopping district, Yu heard someone calling him. Both he and Nanako looked behind themselves and saw the gas station attendant standing by a pump. ″Hey, Narukami! Nice to see you again. I hope you think about getting part time with us.″

Giving a weak smile Yu waved back. ″I don't know. I may have some other things get in the way of that.″

″That's too bad.″ Stuffing his or her hand in some pockets the attendant turned and faced down the road. ″You know... I love the rain.″

Yu grew silent, and found himself reaching for Nanako's hand. ″Why's that?″

″It always gets so quiet. So peaceful. Wouldn't you agree?″ turning his or her head to Yu the attendant took off the gas station hat and shrugged. ″That's why I come out when it rains. I don't like it when the suns out. Too many people out and about.″

″Well I can understand being nervous around people.″ Yu turned about and waved. ″Have a nice day.″

″You too Narukami. I hope this year proves to be a fruitful one for the both of us.″ The attendant put the hat back on and went back to leaning by the gas station pump.

Getting a fair amount of distance between themselves and the gas station attendant Yu found himself stopping by a light post. A chill began to run through his body. '_Hey Narukami?'_

Nanako looked ahead and spotted some of her classmates walking through the rain. Looking back to Yu she tapped his shoulder. ″Hey, Yu? I'm gonna go the rest of the way with those guys. My school isn't that far. Is that... Yu?″

Yu looked over his shoulder and took on a sullen visage. '_How would that guy...'_ Yu than found himself grabbing his leg. ″Ow!″ Yu looked at an infuriated Nanako. ″What?″

″Forget it. I'm going on ahead.″ Nanako ran off and caught up with her classmates.

Rubbing his leg Yu sighed and looked down the street, his gaze following Nanako. '_I bet she's really starting to hate me right now.'_ Standing back up Yu readjusted his bag. '_But still, how'd that gas station guy know my name?' _Looking back over his shoulder Yu saw something odd in the distance. ″What...″ As it came up closer Yu saw it was a familiar blond riding on a bicycle, umbrella in hand. Close to his chest was something wrapped up in a plastic bag. Stopping right where Yu was Kanji looked down at him quietly.

″Um... hello?″ Yu looked cautiously at Kanji than the bag. The two remained silent, the sound of raining hitting against their umbrella's the only sound connected to them. Yu began to look over in the direction Nanako had run off. "So..."

″Uh..." Kanji blushed and looked to the bag and than back to Yu. "Well ya see, my ma told me to give you this...″ Kanji handed the bag to Yu, who accepted it silently. "It's nothing really special. Kind of silly really. What would a guy want with something like that, huh? Mom really wanted you to have it though." Kanji began to ramble about the bag, his tone fluctuating from normal to almost a whisper.

Giving Kanji a confused look Yu's hand began to rummage into the bag. "I don't even know what it is yet. You can calm down." Yu's hand touched something soft and furry. Looking down to the bag Yu found himself looking at a little deer with antlers. It had a little cape and toy lantern. The cape was dark green tone to it, like a forests greenery. "This is so cool..." Yu carefully took the plushy out and started to look it over. "Is this custom."

Kanji scoffed and leaned onto his handle bars. "How should I know, why not ask my mom." Kanji looked down to his feet and slowly began to turn his bike around to face the opposite direction he had been traveling. "You actually like it?"

"It's gorgeous. I've only seen things like this online in art galleries." Yu carefully put the plushie back into the bag and bowed to Kanji. "Tell your mother this is very much appreciated. She has an extraordinary talent."

"I'll let her know." Kanji prepared himself to ride off when Yu tapped his shoulder. "What?" Tersely Kanji looked over at Yu and gripped his handle bars. "That was all you needed. I'm heading back home."

"Why'd she want me to have this?" Yu lifted up the bag to which he was surprised to see Kanji blush at.

"Why she wanted..." Kanji scratched the back of his head. "Well she wanted me to try and... wait what am I saying?!" Kanji grabbed his head and groaned. "Argh! Just enjoy the stupid deer! Damn it mom!" Kanji than sped off back up the street leaving Yu alone in the rain.

'_That was... unexpected.'_ Looking down to the bag Yu opened it up again. Smiling he gently caressed the plushie with his fingers. '_It's so beautiful though. Wonder why Kanji didn't think I'd like it. His mom is a really talented seamstress. Didn't think she'd done anything besides clothes.' _As Yu absently looked over the stuffed animal time began to pass him by. Slowly he began to walk down the street in the same direction as Kanji. '_I can just picture it. This little guy starts wandering through a forest at night. Mysterious and like a shadow.'_ Yu swerved about and made a shocked face. '_Someone, child probably, would see him pass by their line of sight. Out of curiosity the child would chase after him.'_ Smiling Yu began to climb up a stone wall and sat at the top where the branches of some trees were peeking out. '_He'll lead this child on a merry chase, the atmosphere filled with brim of excitement and... and...'_ Yu noticed two guys walking by, the ones he had met from the bathroom. "Oh... hi." Yu began to wave at them.

"Hey." Daisuke grinned and waved over at Yu. "What you doing up there? Playing with dolls?"

Yu looked down to his hand and saw the deer, his cape gently billowing in the breeze. Slowly Yu looked over the street and saw that he had left his umbrella and the plastic bag in it. His hand bag was still safely around his shoulder. "Apparently." Yu slowly put the deer into his hand bag. Yu began to climb down the wall with as much dignity as he could muster. Turning about he saw the two boys still looking at him. '_They must think I'm a total idiot.'_ Yu held his head high and quickly grabbed his things. '_Please let them already be gone when I look back.'_ As Yu looked back he saw Daisuke covering his mouth snickering.

Kou glared at him and quickly smacked his friend's arm.

The feeling of embarrassment began emanate all throughout Yu, his legs beginning to quiver. Holding his things tightly Yu began to walk by the two boys who quietly watched him pass by.

"Have a good day. Sorry to bother you." Kou smiled and waved at Yu. "We all do silly things from time to time."

Looking over his shoulder Yu saw Kou still smiling. "Thank you..." Yu looked back ahead and lowered his head. '_Today has been very interesting. A definite journal entry.' _Yu reached his hand into his bag and pulled out his burgundy journal. '_Hopefully this feeling of embarrassment will wash away with the rain.'_


End file.
